The Dream Collector
by Gal of the Sage
Summary: The final installment in The Dream Devourer Trilogy. KakashiXOC
1. In the Hospital

_Author's Note: The third and final part of The Dream Devourer. KakashiXOC. There might be one lemon, and a couple of angsts...How about we just wait and find out for that? As usual, I do not own Naruto or its characters, just the OCs and this story. Okay, let's get this show on the road!_

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The Sun sat rather high in the sky as Hatake Kakashi and Karasu Chiisai made their way through the busy streets. Chiisai reluctantly allowed him to hold her hand as he led her through the market, and once every thirty seconds he squeezed her fingers to pull her out of the villagers' dreams.

It was still too much for her, even after all of the training. Everything was too crowded, the smells intensified, not to mention the throngs of bodies radiating heat. It smothered her even without the dreams spilling into her mind.

"Just don't make eye contact," Kakashi reminded her. "And at least try to look happy."

She gave him a glare, causing him to chuckle. Her glare might as well be her smile- at least that was what he wanted to believe. After all, he knew without a doubt she loved him. Would she ever realize how much he loved her, how much he needed her? His unfortunate life had taken so many loved ones, but Chiisai…Kakashi was going to make sure Life never got its cruel claws on her.

"Are you even listening?"

"Hmm?" The jonin glanced down at his girlfriend, who yet again wore her trademark glare. Maybe one day he would tell her just how cute she looked with that expression. Of course, if she knew that then she would never glare again, which would make the result counterproductive. "What did you say?"

Sighing, she tugged on his arm and pointed, "Can we go in there?"

His eye followed her finger to a building. Odd, he never noticed such a place before. It was a homey, quaint house, but he didn't need his keen vision to see the cracks of paint running up and down the walls, or the weeds overtaking the front. The gutters were somehow bent and broken, but at least the windows were still intact.

"Why would you want to go in there?"

I want to meet them," she replied. Kakashi frowned and glanced back at the house. The doors were now made of glass, and his eye widened at the people inside. His father, mother, Minato-Sensei, Kushina, Rin, Obito; they were all there.

Chiisai pulled on his arm, but Kakashi didn't move. The others smiled as they ushered Chiisai to them, as if they wanted to meet her too. Kakashi wanted to run to them, to get inside so that he could finally be with them. But he knew that such a thing was impossible. He would remain on this side of the glass for a long time…

However, Kakashi did want Chiisai to know them. Shouldn't someone he cherished meet others he cherished? But something felt wrong. No, this wasn't the right time for them to see each other. Maybe one day they would all be together again, without any wars or failed missions. For now he still needed Chiisai with him.

Kakashi sighed and patted her on the head. "You've already met them in their dreams, Small Tiger."

She rolled her eyes and muttered, "But it's not the same as meeting them in person." With a mischievous smile, Chiisai gave him a peck on the cheek and said, "It'll just take a second, okay? Besides, they're already waiting on me." She pulled away and started toward the worn house, glancing back only once to give him a wink.

"Wait-" He lunged for her, but his feet sunk into the dirt. Cursing, Kakashi adjusted his movements, knowing each second wasted could cost him dearly. The wooden stairs creaked under her small weight, pushing Kakashi to work faster. But by the time he freed himself it was too late. She was already inside, smiling, laughing, being welcomed like an old friend.

Kakashi was instantly at the door. He tried multiple times, but it didn't budge. Frantic, Kakashi beat his fist on the glass, causing it to rattle against its frame. "Open the door!"

But Chiisai wasn't listening. No one was. His father gave her a hug and ruffled her hair before Rin took hold of her hand. Chiisai followed without resistance. No, she didn't belong with them! She belonged with him!

"Chiisai," Kakashi yelled, "don't you dare leave me!"

They already had their backs to him. Kakashi slammed his fists again and again, and even as his knuckles bled the door didn't give. He tried ramming his full weight into it, but the old house was deceivingly fortified. Their time together had been too short, making him crave her presence even more. Chiisai was slipping away from him like all the rest. But wasn't that how it always was?

It was no use. Why had he let himself become so attached so easily? Hadn't he already learned that attachments only led to heartache? This battle he could never win in the end, he realized. Even with that knowledge his heart still called out to her, but the hopelessness of the situation eventually took its toll. Defeat mounting in his heart, Kakashi sank to his knees as he watched them fade.

"Please," he whispered raggedly, "don't leave me."

"Sorry, Farm Boy." Her warm voice grazed his ear before pain burst through him. Eye wide, breath gone; Kakashi gaped down at the bloody blade protruding from his chest. Pain kept him from moving, from thinking. Her small arms wound around his neck while she leaned against him. Her soft lips caressed his masked face as she whispered, "I love you. Remember that, okay?"

The pain was too far inside him, too deep to get away from. It twisted within him, down to the marrow in his bones. But this was no longer from physical pain. She didn't have to stab him for Kakashi to feel this suffocating burden. She was abandoning him like all the rest. No, her words were enough to have him spiraling into the darkness he had fought for so long.

He found himself falling into it, finally accepting the end.

When Kakashi finally woke up in a hospital bed, he gradually came to the realization that Chiisai hadn't stopped his nightmare.

And just like the dream, Kakashi found himself falling into the darkness, felt its heavy blight envelop him like a blanket, squeezing him tight until his bones cracked and muscles ached, until his body grew numb from pain. It paralyzed him, halting his mind as it hovered over three words that could very well shatter his entire existence.

_Where was Chiisai?_

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Lord Danzo regarded the ninja before him. "Uchiha Itachi is much more troublesome than I thought possible. What are your thoughts concerning he and Chiisai?"

The ninja removed his mask. He stared down at the the green stripe that came to a halt at the nose. Even as an experienced ROOT member, he found it difficult to comprehend the events he had witnessed.

"My patience is wearing thin, Fu."

He nodded. "Itachi used his advantage in battle to persuade her to join him. Chiisai was the one to stop the fight before she overtook Hoshigaki's body. Itachi then used his Sharingan on her once they secured a location, and within a few moments she reacted to his jutsu. Hatake and the rest later arrived and assumed Itachi was attacking her, however, the Uchiha seemed…Very fond of the girl." The memory of the S-ranked missing-nin cradling the girl continued to cut across his vision. Itachi was a cruel, heartless ninja who had massacred his entire clan, but seeing him with Chiisai…

"What else?"

Fu shook his head, knowing Danzo would not be pleased. "I am afraid much of the events happened within her mind. After everyone went unconscious, the Uchiha was the first to awaken." Bowing his head, he said, "I am sorry my lord, but I cannot verify what he did to her before or afterwards, but his Sharingan was greatly weakened. The same can be said for Kakashi as well."

There was a moment of silence as the tension built. Danzo intertwined his fingers as he rested his elbows on the table. "But the Uchiha still defeated you?"

He nodded, feeling no guilt or anger. It was as it was, and nothing could change that. "Yes. He also wanted me to relay a message to you."

That caused the elderly man to raise an eyebrow. "And what is that?"

"You should be careful what you wish for, Lord Danzo. What you think you desire may be too much for you to handle."

The Uchiha really was playing this game, it seemed. "So that is why he let you live."

"Hai." The Uchiha's ferocity during their swift battle still sent shivers down his spine.

Danzo gazed down at the file on his desk. It was all of the information his members had gathered on Chiisai, and there was still much to know. The Uchiha's threat was already fading in his mind. He would become Hokage, and he would do it at any cost. "Given the circumstances," he said, "I believe this might turn in our favor. Lady Tsunade will have trouble explaining this to the council." Indeed, how would she even be able to tell Kakashi about their mishap with the girl? "Now, dismissed."

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"It's good to finally see you awake."

His muscles yelled in protest as he moved his head to the sound of the voice. It was a nurse…Kaori.

"Chiisai…"

For a moment the woman's eyes constricted, as if she were overcome with emotion. She quickly recovered and said, "I need to get the Hokage."

Gathering all strength left in him, Kakashi extended his arm and grabbed her wrist. Was she shaking? Fighting the nausea rising in his throat, he forced out, "…Chiisai. Where is she?" He wasn't sure how long his mind could endure without that knowledge, and he had only been awake for less than two minutes.

It didn't take much for her to pull away. Faintly, the nurse replied, "I don't know, I'm just a nurse." She headed towards the door and finished faintly, "…The Hokage might tell you."

Fear washed over him at her quiet tone. Did that mean Chiisai was alive? Or had Lady Tsunade taken it upon herself to tell him what he didn't want to hear? Kaori had acted awfully strange…She had almost appeared ashamed. Kakashi took several deep breaths, aiming to calm his heart rate. No, he was trying too hard to find something wrong. Confined to a bed would only elevate his worry. But with the last memory of Chiisai resurfacing…If she truly had given him the last of her chakra, then there was definitely a need to worry.

It didn't take five minutes before the Hokage entered. Shizune followed and shut the door behind her. Neither one seemed eager to talk…Even Tonton appeared distressed.

"Genma beat you by two days," Tsunade noted. "You've been out a week."

"Chiisai."

The two women exchanged glances before the Hokage replied, "I need to know what happened first."

This was one subject he wouldn't give up on. Though his throat was sore from lack of use, Kakashi forced himself to ask, "Where is she?"

"We can discuss that later."

Their avoidance to answer only made him more determined. Their hesitance meant bad news, and his heart seemed to already prepare for the inevitable. "Where. Is. She."

Lady Tsunade rubbed her temples. The look in his eye was enough to tear at her insides, but she still couldn't bring herself to say it. Instead, she replied, "The team I sent found you all unconscious. Sakura was able to use the Chakra Transfer Technique on Chiisai in time…She was alive, but barely."

He closed his eye as relief washed over him. It was as if a hefty weight had been lifted off his shoulders and even the ache in his muscles seemed to lessen. _Alive. _His heart seemed to proclaim it with each beat in his chest. He wanted to laugh, to jump, to do something besides lying down. Unfortunately, his body didn't have the capacity to express his joy just yet.

Lady Tsunade said, "Rest, and when I come back I expect you to relay everything that happened." Turning to the door, she finished, "Genma was…somewhat at a loss to explain." In fact, the ninja had known little about what happened, but he had mentioned Hitoshi's death…And Akatsuki.

"When can I see her?"

She shook her head and smiled, "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Kakashi. You can't even lift your head up off the pillow. Just focus on recovering for now."

Both Shizune and Tsunade left. Once the door closed, the brunette turned to her superior and whispered, "We're going to have to tell him the rest. Delaying it will only-"

"I know," the Hokage replied. Her frustration at the situation meant she'd need more than one drink tonight, but she couldn't even waste time for that. "Resting is the only thing he needs to do, and if I tell him the truth…" Sighing, Tsunade closed her eyes and muttered, "It's time like this where I especially hate my job."

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"You never talk about the girl."

Itachi closed his eyes. This was the third time Kisame had brought Chiisai up, so ignoring it seemed fruitless. "She is of no importance."

The ninja cocked his head to the side as he observed the Uchiha. Kisame remembered little from the event, but he did remember a few things. "I don't believe that."

"Then don't."

The Uchiha was talkative as usual. "You think she's still alive?"

"No," he replied without emotion. Whatever Chiisai had done to his comrade had left its mark. Of course, she had controlled his body for a period of time, which might have left some side effects.

"Hmph," he frowned, "I was hoping to meet her again." That scrawny mess of a girl probably had interesting information on Itachi. And then there was the dream he had, where she told him that blue wasn't a bad color at all, that it in fact was her favorite color. But why should Kisame dwell on such things? So what if he wasn't good with the ladies, he was a killer, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist! However, he couldn't deny the inferiority he felt when it came to looks, especially when he was constantly around Itachi. Damn that Uchiha's long silky hair.

"Your sudden interest baffles me."

Kisame snorted and said, "She called you an asshole. That racks points up in my book."

The Uchiha continued to walk through the forest. He was thankful his cloak hid most of his body, or else Kisame would be able to see the tenseness in his muscles. "I suggest you move on. She is dead."

Kisame couldn't help but pester the young man. It wasn't every day he had something to pester him about. "After all that fun and you didn't find a thing about the jinchuriki. I shouldn't be surprised that you killed her."

With a tone like ice, Itachi replied, "Sometimes you can't afford to leave loose ends."

END


	2. Mission Report

_Client:__ Lady Tsunade_

_Letter Rank:__ B_

_Mission:__ Team Retrieval_

_Ninja: _

_Team Leader: Shirakumo Hayama _

_Team: Haruno Sakura, Mibu Shinobu, Sarugaku Tsuzumi _

_Objective:__ Pursue and recover (possible battle) Hatake Kakashi, Shiranui Genma, and their target Karasu Chiisai, who has been taken by Iwagakure ninja Hitoshi. Note: enemy is high-skilled sensory ninja and greatly experienced in the art of torture. Express extreme caution if forced to engage._

_Progress Report:__ Team Kakashi and Karasu Chiisai were recovered mid-afternoon on February twentieth, in a cave Northwest of Konohagakure. All members, excluding the ninken and ninneko, were found unconscious and unresponsive. Everyone experienced multiple wounds; the worst belonging to Karasu (see medical report attached). Once Karasu was stabilized by Haruno Sakura, Team Shirakumo removed targets from location and returned to Konoha. Speed was chakra infused due to Karasu's need for immediate hospitalization._

_However, Team Shirakumo was attacked midway back. The ninja, approximately 180 cm, did not wear a village symbol and his face was completely obscured by mask. Team Shirakumo engaged in battle but was forced to retreat in order to avoid multiple casualties. His target was Karasu Chiisai, though reason is unknown. Enemy was successful in capturing her._

_Team Shirakumo only recovered Hatake Kakashi, Shiranui Genma, the ninken Pakkun, and the ninneko Tomo._

_*Note: the body of Hitoshi the Stone ninja found. Cause of death: chidori. _

_Mission:__ failed._

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Kakashi looked over the file again to make sure his eye wasn't deceiving him. Each time he reread it it was as if there was a physical blow to his chest. _Enemy was successful in capturing her. _Kakashi wanted to track her immediately, to destroy whoever had her; and he cursed his weakened body that could barely hold his weight. No wonder Lady Tsunade and Shizune couldn't face him. Chiisai was gone yet again, and whoever took her had vanished without a trace.

And the attacker…Was it Iwagakure? Akatsuki? One of Danzo's men? Or was it a personal enemy of Kakashi's? The probability of that was minimal, but Kakashi couldn't afford to leave any stone unturned. The report didn't even mention Itachi or Kisame, so they must have left before Team Shirakumo arrived. Why hadn't Itachi killed them and taken Chiisai then? Or had he run out of chakra by overusing his Sharingan?

And Chiisai had been gone a week without any contact. What did that mean? Was she subdued, or unable to get in the dream world…Or was she still mentally unstable? Could she be…?

How many times would this happen to him? How many times would Life dangle this cruel tease before his eyes? No, there was one thing he knew for certain and that was the deaths of his loved ones were up close and personal. That pattern had remained consistent throughout his entire life.

If Sakura truly was successful in stabilizing Chiisai, then he knew without a doubt that she was out there, alive and breathing…And still injured in the hands of a kidnapper. And what she had said the last time he saw her…_Do you know what it's like for someone you've loved to leave you behind?_

Back then, Kakashi believed Itachi was trying to kill her. But her words, her emotions…Itachi must have unsealed her memories, and what she found had only brought her pain. Those new memories must have consumed her at the time…Did they consume her now? Kakashi feared that wherever she was her sanity might be crumbling away.

A new fear drifted into his mind, and Kakashi hastily read the other file in his hand.

_Medical Summary _

_Medic-nin: Haruno Sakura_

_Patient: Karasu Chiisai_

_Using the Mystical Palm Technique, it was apparent Karasu Chiisai had little chakra left to survive. This was immediately corrected through the Chakra Transfer Technique. She also suffered from severe hypothermia and frostbite in the phalanges of both hands and feet. Other injuries include: several broken ribs, traumatic pneumothorax (left lung), multiple bruises around diaphragm; and bruising and swelling of neck (possibly from strangulation). The main injuries (lungs, ribs, and neck) were the only wounds I attended to. I surmised that she needed hospitalization as soon as possible; which is the reason I only healed enough to firmly stabilize her._

_Two other injuries are noted, one being a pattern of burns emanating from her sternum, which is likely from Chidori. It is possible Hatake Kakashi used this jutsu for revival purposes due to her severe hypothermia. The second injury was minor but felt through the Mystical Palm Technique. I did not have time to inspect it, but I could sense damage in the tissue concerning the vulva, suggesting some form of penetration-_

Kakashi dropped the paper, stood, and slammed his fist into the wall, thereby knocking a hole though the other side.

The sound caused several startled cries in the area, but the only thing Kakashi heard was the barreling cry of his heart as it ripped into a thousand pieces.

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The black and white creature appeared out of the hard floor, luckily avoiding knocking over the ointments and medicines littering the ground. White Zetsu blinked at the woman. A worn lamp cast her body in an orange glow like a fire. This was their second visit to the girl in the abandoned city, and she still wore the same tattered gown. Had she even moved at all in the past couple of days?

"Oi, she sure sleeps a lot. Is she dead?"

"Quiet, idiot," Black Zetsu growled.

He shrugged and replied, "I'm just saying. I don't see why Itachi hasn't killed her yet." With a shrill giggle, he added, "Think he's gotta crush?"

"Obviously, there's more to her than meets the eye." Indeed, her chakra felt very similar to one he hadn't felt in a long time. It was actually refreshing compared to the other useless humans.

"Hopefully. She's not much to look at to begin with."

The shifting of quick feet echoed like a heartbeat in the hallway, causing the black side to grimace even more. "Damn, someone's coming."

"Sleep tight," White Zetsu said, "We'll be back!"

"Shut up, Baka!"

A few moments later, a ninneko dressed in a blue kimono sauntered in. The woman was still asleep…Of course, with her wounds that was about the only thing she could do. He approached the girl with caution, but she didn't even stir a centimeter. "Hmm," he muttered, "I could have sworn I heard voices..."

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The nurse sprinted to the source of the thundering crash. She found Kakashi leaning against the broken wall, his limbs shaking from overuse. On seeing his distress, Kaori ran over to him and asked, "What happened?"

"Ah, sorry," he tried to smile. "I'm afraid I've let my anger get the best of me." He had used too much energy for his body, and the wounds on his back reminded him every time he moved. Dammit, Chiisai's powers had the same effect on him as Itachi's Nightmare Realm.

She helped him into a sitting position and inspected his hand. It astounded her how ninjas could punch so hard and not even bleed. But Kakashi's actions were reckless, and though she couldn't blame him, she scowled, "You're in no shape to be out of bed, let alone punch through a wall!" This was unlike Kakashi in every way possible. And then she saw it on the bed- a mission report. It must be about his girlfriend...

The ninja ignored the burning ache inside him and studied her for a moment. "You're much more emphatic than usual, Kaori."

"I'm feeling rather odd today," she sighed, "my apologies. Oh, here." She pulled a novel out of her apron and handed it to him. "Someone left this for you at the front desk."

His eye widened when he saw the familiar cover. It was grey and scruffy at the edges, and the words on the cover had his pulse rising again. "Who brought this?"

"I don't know." Kaori peeked down at the book, _Dreaming of Love. _"It doesn't look like your normal ones."

He shook his head and replied, "It isn't." The book had been left in Chiisai's bag when she had been taken by Hitoshi. That meant this was from a scene of a crime. Someone would have gone a considerable length to retrieve the novel…Unless it was ordered by Lady Tsunade.

"I'm sorry you're angry."

He blinked back up at the brunette. "Hmm? Oh…" The jonin smiled sadly and said, "I'm just angry at myself, that's all. I never seem to make it in time." He had stopped Hitoshi from killing Chiisai, but he hadn't stopped him from torturing her. Kakashi should have known that Hitoshi would come back for her. God, why hadn't he been there sooner? He could have done something; he shouldn't have left her to go on the mission. Chiisai had only been at the cemetery because of him…

The ninja was once again lost in his thoughts. Feeling a bit awkward, Kaori headed back to the hallway. She tried to perk up but it only sounded half-hearted. How could anyone cheer up a man who had lost the woman he loved? But this ninja needed a distraction, and Kaori would be the one to provide it. "How about I bring you some lunch? Lady Tsunade requested you get back on solid food as soon as possible."

Kakashi nodded encouragingly, but his smile was already failing. Sighing, he raked a hand through his hair, sighed again, and peered down at the book. Just like the rest of Chiisai's books, none of the pages were crinkled or bent. She always used whatever she could find for a bookmark. But upon further inspection, he noticed there were many bookmarks, and all were placed sporadically throughout the novel.

With a look of hesitation, Kakashi silently opened the book to the last bookmark, which was a piece of paper. Curious, Kakashi flipped it over to find her writing cramped into the space.

_The dreams that constantly plague my mind are drowned out whenever I'm with him. I've experienced the emotions of everyone in the village, but he…He stirs emotions within myself that I've forgotten. And if I'm honest, I realize just how selfish and cowardly that is. These emotions make me feel, well, incredibly happy and that scares me. Have I ever been happy before Kakashi? Frankly, I can't remember a time whenever I truly was, at least while in reality. And when I look back at my life, do I deserve to be happy? …Maybe that's selfish too._

The door creaked back open. Kakashi's head snapped up to see Kaori with a tray of food. He could see the fear in her eyes, and he didn't blame her. The aloof Copy Ninja of Konoha had lost his reserve, which was a sight rarely seen. He placed the paper back inside the book and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He couldn't help but suspect that the novel was her doing, that she somehow had sent this to him...

As he glanced at Kaori, he noticed several things. Maybe he had finally lost his sanity, but her movements- the way her hips sunk with each step- matched Chiisai's…Not to mention the hesitance in her approach. God, maybe he was going crazy, but he couldn't stop himself. Kakashi opened his other eye while she had her back turned. It was a quick observation, but he knew what to look for. And he got the answer he needed.

Kakashi continued to watch her and made sure to restrain himself as he asked, "How many times have you done this?"

She sat the tray down and replied, "I bring food to patients all the time."

His hand reached out for hers. He couldn't hold back, couldn't stop his heart from thudding against his sternum as he felt her stiffen from his touch.

"Chiisai," he breathed, "I know it's you."

End

_First off, there really needs to be a proper mission report template. Second, The Zetsu scene is an option I've left to pursue if necessary. __ (Yay to all you people still following this story! Though sometimes I wonder what's wrong with ya'll :P)_

_PurplePantherOfDoom: I hope you are feeling better. And if it helps, I went through the same thing this weekend (if I think it's what you're talking about). I ended up making brownies and was comforted by my cat._

_AAAnd...__I'll try to clarify everything thoroughly in the next chapter. Sorry for the sexual assault stuff, but there's been a lot of it on my campus lately so it's been stuck in my head. And the mission report is what happened in between The Dream Breather and The Dream Collector. I've gone back and reread a few things, and I've realized I've contradicted myself a bit! Sorry about that, but luckily it's nothing major!_


	3. Arrival and Departure

Unable to stand it, Kakashi quietly said, "You don't want to be found, do you." Chiisai was sneaking around in other people's bodies but not making contact for help. And to have her so close yet still out of reach…It was a torture all by itself.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright," she whispered.

"So you were going to leave satisfied but leave me here questioning if you were even alive?" He shook his head and said, "That's particularly cold of you."

She dropped her head and stared down at the wooden floor. His hand held on to her wrist, and though it wasn't her body, Chiisai still felt sparks from his touch. She both loved and hated it as her heart was torn between the love of Kakashi and the death of Shisui. It would be so easy right now to leave Kaori's body and return back to hers. But then Chiisai would never forgive herself for doing that to Kakashi. She had hurt him too much already.

The woman finally replied, "…I didn't know how to face you. I tried earlier, but…" She turned to face him, to confront what she had been dreading all week. Slowly, without meeting his eye, she said, "What I've done to you…Back at the cave…I'm sorry. I couldn't see past my own pain and I didn't realize what he did to me I was doing to you…Except my reasons were out of pure selfishness." Shisui abandoned her with noble reasons, and in the midst of her memories she broke her promise and abandoned Kakashi. How could she confront him like this after doing something so cruel to him? "I came back fearing you'd hate me, but the first word out of your mouth was my name."

He squeezed her hand and replied, "When I look back I realize that your intentions…They remind me of myself." Eye downcast, he continued, "You lost someone. It left you broken and alone, and you wanted to die to stop that pain. I'm probably the most qualified at understanding how you feel."

"Hmm, your damn comebacks haven't changed a bit, Farm Boy."

That was definitely Chiisai. Kakashi pulled on her hand so she could sit on the bed. His eye continued to watch her as the mattress groaned under her weight. He feared she might vanish out of Kaori at any moment.

"Chiisai," he asked, "where's your body?"

She stared down at their hands and weighed her options. "It's safe. That's all you need to know."

There was no movement from her to confirm if she were lying. Frowning slightly, the ninja tilted her chin up so she would look him in the eye. Unable to resist touching her (though it wasn't really her), Kakashi kept his hand on her face as he asked, "And you won't be safe here?"

Now she looked away and swallowed the rising feelings welling up. "I need to recuperate."

"That wasn't an answer," he said sternly. "Why don't you want to be found?"

She didn't reply for fear that saying something would give away her location. Knowing Kakashi, just speaking one word would have him correctly guessing it. He was a genius after all, just like Shisui…

It was becoming harder for Kakashi to maintain his composure, if he even had any left. Whoever had taken her must have known about her abilities…And if she truly was safe…Who else did she trust besides Itachi? And if his suspicions were correct, she was the closest person to him (besides Sasuke) he had left. But something didn't add up…

Voice hard, he told her, "You know I won't stop searching for you."

Her tone matched his as she replied, "There's no need for you to look for me, Kakashi."

His eye twitched as if she had physically hurt him. He wanted to laugh, to cry, to possibly beat her over the head and knock some sense into her. Instead, Kakashi only shook his head. "You really do enjoy playing hard to get, don't you?"

"My body isn't in the best shape to be moved right now. Even with the medicine-"

"Then that's all the the more reason you need to be here," he interrupted. "The best medic-nin in the world is our Hokage, Chiisai. You're going to have to come up with a better excuse."

Oh, she had plenty of good excuses. "I'd be a threat to the village if you brought me back. I may sound okay right now, but mentally I'm pretty fucked up. Just talking to you is taking every ounce of willpower I have."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the information. So she was in a place away from people, and given her power's range, it would be a wide area. And with her language, it must be worse than he thought. But taking consideration of everything that had happened to her…A person could only take so much. "…Then I'd feel better if you'd tell me where you are and who has you."

"No one "has" me," Chiisai glared. "They're taking care of me and- Dammit," she breathed, "I shouldn't have done this."

He tightened his hold on her hand and replied, "I hope you don't plan on leaving me with that." Kakashi smiled and sadly finished, "It's really not a proper goodbye, Small Tiger."

Shame crossed over her at his words. "Look…Where I'm at, it's more like rehabilitation…and that's something I really need right now." Against her better judgement, she pointed to the file on the bed and added, "That mission report says someone stole me from the recovery team. It's true, but he didn't get away with it. Someone stopped him and took me some place to heal. That's all I can say."

She gently pulled away from Kakashi and stood. She felt naked without his touch, but if she stayed any longer she wouldn't be able to hold on. "Kakashi, I have to go. I promise I'll be back with my body, I just don't know when."

"…Is sixty-three days enough?"

It was the same number of days as her comatose. Chiisai was glad she wasn't facing him anymore because she could no longer hold back the tears. The emotions overwhelmed her yet again, but she needed to concentrate or else-

"Oh, why I am I crying?" Kaori wiped the tears from her eyes and glanced around. She had managed to wander back into Kakashi's room. She turned to see him with eye wide and body rigid like a statue. "Did something just happen? I'm afraid my mind has been a bit fuzzy lately."

Kakashi was too surprised to respond. Chiisai had vanished as quick as a phantom, making him question for a split second if he had hallucinated the whole thing. But the sudden sinking feeling in his chest made it difficult to breathe, let alone respond to Kaori's question.

She sniffed, "Sorry, Farm boy. I told you it's taking every ounce of my willpower to do this."

His heart managed to beat once more as Kaori's posture slumped to form Chiisai's normal body language. Kakashi said, "You're problem isn't with your chakra, is it… Itachi unsealed your memories."

Chiisai stiffened as she attempted to reign in her emotions. Just take a deep breath. Inhale, exhale. "Yes," she nodded. "It's…Hard to take everything in, mentally and physically…You could say I have Post Traumatic Stress in every way possible."

"Chiisai." Kakashi's voice was low and filled with conviction. He bet her PTSD wasn't only from her memories, but from something he should have been able to stop. "…I read your medical file. What Hitoshi did to you…" He closed his eye and finished, "I'm sorry I didn't get there in time."

She frowned and for a moment she was distracted from her pain. "That's not your fault, idiot. What he did to me…" Breathe. "My chakra went crazy before he was able to…" She knew Kakashi would be thinking the worst, so she forced herself to say it. "Just so you know…He…It was his hands." She had finally recalled what had happened when she first awoke…His kunai ripping her clothing, fingers breaking ribs, his tongue trailing down her chest, rough hands roaming her skin…And the panic tearing through her as his fingers slid into her one by one- nonoNoNoNONO

"Chiisai?"

She cursed and reattached herself to Kaori's mind. Damn those flashbacks. Now back in control, she gazed back at Kakashi and noticed his eye had that extra crinkle under it, a sign showing his concern…And shame. In front of her was the man who had rescued her, taken care of her, and accepted her for who she was…And though her heart grieved for someone else, it also still yearned for him.

The tears began to spill and run down her cheeks, but she made no effort to wipe them away. She whispered, "You killed Hitoshi and saved my life, which is something I'll always be grateful for." How many times had Kakashi rescued her only to have her turn around and rip his heart in two? And here she was doing it again. "I'm sorry I'll never be good enough for what you deserve, Farm Boy."

"No…You will always be more than I will ever deserve."

God, he really was too good of a person. She paused as she glanced at his scarred eye, knowing her time would soon expire. There was one way she could help him in her absence though. So she sat down on the bed and took his hand. "Can you try something for me?"

He almost laughed. "You've managed to wrap this ninja around your finger, Small Tiger. What is it?"

She mentally thanked Shisui and said, "I don't know whether you know this or not, but the Mangeyko Sharingan is awakened when its owner experiences emotional trauma. It drains your chakra quickly and eventually causes blindness, but the advantages outweigh that. You'll need to try it in a controlled environment to see what it can do…But it's a good secret weapon to have."

The ninja nodded, making sure to keep the information in the back of his mind. He gazed down at their intertwined fingers. "Chiisai, I understand why you want to stay away. And as long as you're safe…" His voice grew husky and he finished, "I waited for you once and I can wait again."

"I'll hopefully be back before sixty-three days...Take care of Tomo while I'm gone."

She wasn't sure why she hated saying it (unless during a life and death situation), but this was the least she could for him. So Kaori, or rather Chiisai, met his eye and whispered like a secret, "I don't show it in the best ways, but I want you to know I love you and it's not going away any time soon." She pointed and added, "That book beside you is basically my diary. It's not erotic, so I don't know if it will satisfy your literary tastes," she tried to half-joke.

"I'm sure it will be alright," he smiled. Ignoring the pain in his back, Kakashi leaned forward and pressed his masked lips to her forehead. It wasn't Chiisai's body, but it was Chiisai. "I've known you loved me for a long time but hearing you say it is the sweetest music I've ever heard." His thumb traced over her cheekbone as he said, "I don't think it's possible for me to stop loving you. I'll be waiting for you…Even if you decide not to come back."

He wiped away her tears as she replied, "You stupid ninja, of course I'll-"

She suddenly stopped and blinked up at him. Her brown eyes widened at their proximity and she flung herself back from Kakashi. "I-I'm sorry! Wait-Why were you-we…I'm crying again," she frowned. Her hand went to her chest as she mumbled, "Why does…my heart hurt so much?"

He waited a moment, but Chiisai didn't resurface. Sighing, he replied, "Ah, I'm sorry. You asked me what was wrong," he forced himself to say. "I didn't mean to get you worked up about my problems."

"No…I'm sorry,' she shook her head. "I haven't been myself this week."

"I'm better now…Thank you for the food."

"You're welcome." Though still a bit confused, Kaori walked out of the room, making a note to take tomorrow off.

The jonin sighed as the pain in his heart reawakened. He hung his head and took a deep breath, but the ache never lessened. All he wanted was to see Chiisai's black eyes blink up at him, to have her glaring at one of his teases. He still didn't know who had her or where her location was. But Chiisai was alive and safe and still loved him. For now, all he could do was wait…Even if she never came back.

So Kakashi grabbed the plate of food_, _picked out a bookmark from _Dreaming of Love_, and began to read.

END

_Shout out to Aleri, gaabii, and PurplePantherOf Doom for having the same order of commenting for the first two chapters! I shouldn't find that so amusing :)_


	4. Akatsuki

She awoke but was unable to open her eyes. Chiisai mentally panicked, but from the outside she was still breathing normally, with a steady flow of drool running down the side of her mouth. Shit, this was the third time that this had happened. For some reason, her body couldn't adjust to her dream travels, and when she returned to her body it failed to recognize that she was back.

That wasn't the only reason to panic. There were voices around her, all male and all curious about her. It wasn't Denka or the other ninnekos though. These were new and unfamiliar to her and gave her a sense of dread. Nekobaa wouldn't have allowed them to see her…In fact, the only other person who knew her location was Itachi. But what happened to Granny and Tamaki? They had an entire supply of ninnekos, so getting past their guard wouldn't have been easy.

"That might work to our advantage, though it's not in the plan."

"The Leaf called off the search, but the Hokage isn't thrilled about it. Ha, I wonder how the girl does it."

"She can get into dreams, baka. One of the leaf ninja persuaded Lady Tsunade, the one that saved the girl," the voice came out like a growl. "He goes by Hatake."

"…Now, that is interesting," the first voice replied. "Itachi shouldn't have gotten in her mess. I'll have to ask him why he's hiding such a rare specimen."

"She's not a ninja, but she could stir some discord for us between the nations. She's already made relations bad between the Stone and Leaf."

A gasp finally escaped Chiisai as her body finally snapped awake. Her eyes opened and her body twitched, sending pain tunneling through her limbs and torso.

"Oi, she finally woke up!"

Shit shit shit. Damn body couldn't do anything right. Chiisai's eyes darted to the intruders. Though she had heard three voices, there were only two people. Well, could she really call the black and white thing a person? She doubted it was human…It was almost more of a plant. But the other man wore an orange mask.

They were Akatsuki.

"Hello, sleepy lady!" The white side grinned wide as the black side grimaced.

"What…" Her body was too tired to finish the sentence. Silently, the man in the orange mask stepped closer to her. He placed his gloved fingers on her chin, causing her to flinch at the physical contact. Her mind still panicked at the thought of someone touching her, because now touch only meant pain. The man tilted her head up and said, "Maybe I should see for myself what you can do."

Her eyes widened as the Akatsuki ninja leaned closer. Red appeared from the hole in his mask, and on eye contact she realized who's eye it was.

He stood in her mind with Chiisai. Iron shackles appeared on his wrist and ankles as she took a defensive stance.

"Hmm." He cocked his head to the side and said, "…How similar this is to Itachi's Nightmare Realm. Is that why you both are close?"

"I'll answer your question if you answer mine," she snapped back. "Are you Uchiha Obito?"

He stiffened slightly before he then proceeded to walk through the chains. The metal fell to the floor of her mind with a rhythm of clanks. A wall of fire shot up between them as Chiisai staggered back, but the man could not be fazed when wielding the Sharingan.

How the hell had Obito survived? Or was this someone who had stolen his eye? Too many thoughts were running through to focus. But with nothing left to lose, she said, "You dreamed of dancing with Rin but she ended up leaving with Kakashi. You ran and ran but could never catch up to them. You wanted her to notice you so badly…I would understand if you wanted to join the Akats-"

He latched on to her wrist and replied, "You know far too much, Karasu Chiisai."

So this was Uchiha Obito. Her chakra flared up and Obito grunted with pain. The radiating energy slammed into his body and threw him back. Her eyes began to glow as she asked, "How would Kakashi feel if he knew you were alive? But I guess you don't want him to know that."

Obito took his time as he got to his feet. "Are you the one to talk?" He mused, "You haven't told anyone where you're at, which was a mistake on your part."

"What do you plan on doing to me?"

He paused for a moment. No expression could be seen by the ninja, reminding her of his old comrade. But then he brought his hand to his head. The mask came off, revealing his face. Scars ran like wrinkles around half of it, and just like Kakashi he had one eye closed. Obito finally met Chiisai's eyes and slowly asked, "…Are you Kakashi's lover?"

The glowing dulled for a moment. Hopefully Obito wasn't looking for that type of revenge. "That depends on what you think a lover is."

"The Trash filled with so many regrets finally decided to throw his past away and move on…How touching."

"I think you're the one who's thrown his past away."

His Sharingan flared and forced her chakra back. She muttered a curse as the glowing dissipated. She should have known he would have done that, but she couldn't concentrate knowing Obito was indeed alive...alive and completely on the wrong side. Shit, how long had he been in Akatsuki? And how did he even survive the boulder that crushed half of his body? But Kakashi and Rin had left him for dead…They never saw him actually die.

Obito was on her in an instant. "The past is only full of misery. There's no need to hold on to it or throw it away... It won't matter in the end." His words hinted no emotion, as if he were a mannequin...What the hell happened to him over all these years?

She frowned as she looked into his eye. It was hard, devoid of any light that might give her some hint of the young Uchiha. "…The past shaped what you are. Are you saying it doesn't matter that Rin is de-"

He gripped the collar of her grown and jerked her to him. With a snarl, he replied, "I've allowed you to say her name once, but don't you dare talk about her again. You understand?"

Her eyes widened at the sudden change. So he knew without a doubt Rin was dead. Memories crept through her mind, of Shisui grinning at her. With a shaky voice she said, "…I think I understand too well. Without the person you love…Life loses all meaning."

He frowned down at Chiisai, debating how much she really identified with him. "You have Kakashi. Why would you try to comprehend what I went through? Humans can never understand each other, Chiisai. And that's caused every war in this world. How can you ever understand me?"

"…The man I loved died ten years ago, and only last week did I remember everything. For a decade I forgot he existed. During that time…Well, it's all a lie. My life is a lie…" Chiisai dropped her head. "How can I love someone else? How can I love someone else so easily still? Shisui...I can't…It's all wrong." She was about to lose herself again. Even now she could feel the hole in her heart widening, stretching over her like the darkness after a sunset.

He regarded the woman in front of him, knowing she was as down-trodden as every human on this planet. Surely, what was the point of life without the one you loved beside you? It made the world dark, lifeless, a void to wander aimlessly in. "There's no point in this world if it causes such pain. I'm going to create a world of peace. You are welcome to join my organization," he added.

"…You want me to join…The Akatsuki?" She could barely believe what she was hearing. But his words echoed in her head, and she couldn't help but match his persuasions with someone else…Someone who had tried the same thing a few months back…

He loosened his hold on her and replied, "You would be a great asset. Your abilities are similar to what I have in mind for this world."

It did sound appealing. But she had walked down this road already. It was almost laughable at this moment. "Sorry, I've already tried that…The whole create-another-world thing. It only makes you feel more hollow because it's not real."

"Real…What is real? Reality is different to each individual," he said evenly. "Do you think reality to a king is the same reality to a beggar?"

Chiisai raked a hand through her hair and took a step back. "I know what you're saying. But who's to say your reality is the best?"

"And you say this world is the best?" He laughed at the hypocrisy of it. "Is yours the best? Is this world the best reality? In the end, someone else will thrust their version on everyone. History will repeat itself in an endless cycle if things don't change."

"…I know you're right. But at this moment…I can't come to a decision," she said slowly. This world, at least right now, didn't look too good. And the pain she dealt with both physically and mentally…Every day was a struggle to move, to breathe, hell, she couldn't even go to the bathroom by herself in her state. What had this world done for her? It cursed her with a power she couldn't control, it made her childhood hell, it took away Shisui. Shisui had sacrificed himself for this world, and where did it lead to in the end? And Itachi, the kindest person in the world, was labeled as a mass murderer. In the end, no one would even remember their names…

"I will give you time to think about it," Obito said. She blinked up as he put on his mask. "But this world will only leave you with misery. Once you realize this will you become stronger."

And then he was out of her mind…And out of the room.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It had been over sixty-three days.

Kakashi repeated this thought as he gazed down at the Memorial Stone.

Over sixty-three days. Chiisai hadn't contacted her in sixty-three days, and though he had spent much of his time training to avoid the crushing thoughts, he couldn't deny how hard it was to wake each morning in an empty bed.

Chiisai wasn't coming back.

He hung his head, his eye trailing the name of his lost comrade. What would Obito have done? He knew the answer. Obito had run straight for Rin when she had been kidnapped…Why had Kakashi decided to wait for Chiisai? He wasn't a gallant knight. How was that a good choice to have utter faith in her? Shit, he hadn't even known her location. If she didn't want to be found, then why would she bother coming back?

She abandoned him just like the rest.

"Hey…Farm Boy."

His eye widened. Kakashi stood frozen next to the Memorial Stone, unable to move, unable to think logically. No, he would have been able to sense her. He would have recognized her scent immediately. This wasn't the smell of books. But it was Chiisai's voice.

"I'm sorry for putting you through this." Her voice lacked energy and personality, and the sound made him cringe like nails on chalkboard. "I say sorry a lot, but I can't find any other words to tell how much I regret leaving you. It's consuming, you know? Every day was a struggle…But I'm sure you've gone through the same."

He didn't turn around. "You came all this way to say goodbye…?"

"You're the only one who knows I'm here. I've made everyone forget who I am, but your damn Sharingan won't allow it with you. Can you…Turn around? It would make explaining easier." Her voice was emotionless…Time had changed her…And in his opinion, for the worst.

Kakashi had battle many enemies, had faced war…had faced every hardship imaginable. But this took more courage than any other time in his life.

And when he turned, when he finally gathered the willpower, Kakashi could only stare. Chiisai…half her legs and arms were white and covered in wrinkly scars. Her eyes…were no longer sparkling…She was the present version of a younger him.

"They couldn't save my hands and feet," she whispered. "The frostbite…It was too much for my body to take. Luckily someone had a few…parts to spare. I actually can't even walk right now…Someone's helping me with that too."

"…What are you saying?"

"The reason I'm here…It's a task to prove my trust."

Kakashi swallowed his emotions and tried to understand what she was saying. But rational thinking proved too much for him to handle. He reached for her hand for some kind of physical contact but she flinched away from him. Chiisai didn't meet his eye as he said, "You're being very vague Chiisai. You usually explain everything."

She shook her head. "That part of me…It no longer exists. The person who's helping me…After I stopped and thought about it…He was right. This world…It will only bring suffering."

"You sound like your father," he replied. Afraid she was under a genjutsu, Kakashi lifted his headband and opened his eye. But her chakra was brighter then ever.

"…And my father was right, Kakashi. Happiness is a myth, so there's no need to try to find it…It doesn't exist."

"That's not true," he replied. He should have never left her alone. He shouldn't have agreed for her to stay away and recover. Wasn't he the perfect example of what would happen if one was left alone in the midst of one's pain? "What about your happy memories of us?" He grabbed _Icha Icha fr_om his pocket and pulled out his bookmark_._ Chiisai's eyes widened as she gazed at the only picture of them: the night at the snow festival. Kakashi's voice, though strong as it was, managed to falter as he asked, "Does this not mean anything to you?"

She ignored the skipping of her heart and avoided the question altogether. "Kakashi…I'm joining the Akatsuki. And in order to do that…"

He felt her in his mind then, and her words echoed in his head. _"…I have to kill you."_

Chiisai sucked out his chakra slowly and steadily, never relenting as she silently completed her mission. Though he would die in this world, she would make sure he would exist in the one she was helping to create. And Rin and Obito would be there too...and no one would have to suffer again.

Kakashi dropped to his knees as his body weakened. She was actually doing it and he had no way to stop it. And all the while he realized his heart still ached for her…Even in the end he couldn't stop loving her.

_Chiisai, to die by the one I love…It seems I've come to understand both Rin and Obito because of you…Thank you._

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

They discovered his body the next day. And as they collected what was left and performed an autopsy, they came to realize that his cause of death made no sense. Hatake Kakashi was a perfectly healthy individual…

Lady Tsunade, after punching through several desks, still had no idea what could have possibly happened. Who was able to sneak into the village and take down someone as experienced as Hatake Kakashi without leaving a shred of evidence? A thought nagged at the back of her mind, of someone whose name meant crow…

But no one came to mind.

END

_April fools! Yes, APRIL FOOLS. This chapter is void, but I did seriously think about it heading this path. I'm up for answering any questions ya'll might have with this story, whether good or bad! Lol That is if ya'll aren't furious with me for doing this! I'll make up for this chapter one day! _


	5. Sixty-Three Day Limit

_NOTE: The last chapter was an APRIL FOOL'S JOKE because I am a terrible person. We are now proceeding with the REAL story, where both Kakashi and Chiisai are indeed alive…for now. :)_

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

As the fist flew through the air toward his face, Kakashi humored how easily it would be to kill the man in front of him. The brunette's form was all wrong and he left multiple openings for retaliation. But Kakashi continued to remain unmoving because, well, quite frankly this was going to be the only physical punishment he would receive for his most recent sin.

He deserved far worse.

Kakashi blinked at the brunette as he held his fist inches from Kakashi's jaw. "Dammit," Koshuu muttered. He dropped his hand though his body shook with frustration. "Chiisai would murder me if she ever found out I did this."

So she had him wrapped around her finger as well. Kakashi sighed as he sat back down on the hospital bed. Raking a hand through his hair, he replied, "I understand your anger, but I won't be of any help to you. Even I don't know her location."

"Then why the hell did you call off the search?" His dark eyes narrowed at the jonin who made no sense whatsoever. Why, if he were in Kakashi's shoes, he'd be searching day and night for Chiisai. How could she love a man who wouldn't even go looking for her? Didn't he even have a whole set of tracking dogs at his command? But if Kakashi was somewhat satisfied, then he must know more than he was letting on. Chiisai must be safe somewhere…

It was clear Kakashi couldn't admit the truth. However, the pain in Koshuu's eyes was similar to his own. Even if he didn't like the civilian (who was especially foolish for taking on a shinobi), Kakashi at least understood him…Because he too was in love with Chiisai.

Anyone in love with that girl was doomed from the start.

Kakashi stared down at the hardwood floor as he thought over the past week. "What she went through is my fault. I don't think she would want to come back now." She hadn't even wanted him to know she was in Kaori's body all that time…

"Then Chiisai was right to call you an idiot."

His eye widened. Koshuu stood shaking his head as he breathed, "Look, she may be in love you, but I've known her longer. Once she becomes attached, she's pretty loyal for life…Why do you think she's worked at the library for ten years?"

"That's work," he replied. And the only reason she stayed there probably had to do with minimal social interaction…And was Kakashi really getting a pep talk from this guy?

"Work, relationship; she sees them all in the same light. That's who she is." Since he almost punched him before, Koshuu went on to say, "You may be the best ninja in Konoha, but you need to get your head out of your ass. She'll probably come back just to tell you that in person…" He paused for a moment, remembering back to when he first discovered Chiisai's nice streak. "…She acts like she doesn't care, but she hates to see people in pain. Knowing you're in pain is probably killing her. So if she doesn't come back for a while, then there's a damn good reason why."

"You…" How much could he say to make Koshuu understand? "You fail to realize that she was tortured when she was kidnapped. She almost died when I got there..." He closed his eye as the memories overtook him, of seeing her battered and half-frozen…She had been so cold and lifeless in his arms…

Koshuu swallowed down the pill of information while staring down at Kakashi. The only thing he liked about Kakashi was that he had been the one to kill Chiisai's kidnapper. And though the brunette was angry with him, it was easy to see how agonized Kakashi was. "Well," he said, "there's your damn good reason. She wouldn't want you or anyone else to see her in the current state she's in." He wasn't sure whether he was saying that to reassure Kakashi or just himself.

"No…" Kakashi shook his head. "Her current state might be permanent." If she had PTSD in every way possible, then she would live with it for the rest of her life. Kakashi had read her bookmarks, and even when they told of her feelings it also told of her doubts of staying. She had wanted to run away even then. However, Chiisai told him she would be back in sixty-three days...But could he trust her after everything? The guilt from his doubts had his stomach churning, and he despised what little faith he had.

The ninja stared down at the hand that had killed Rin and saved Chiisai. "She shouldn't love me…I don't deserve it."

"You're right." He took a step closer to the jonin and glared down at him. Koshuu knew what he was doing wasn't the smartest, heck, it would probably get him killed. But when it came to Chiisai, he usually ended up doing something stupid. So, voice filled with a threat, he said, "So when she comes back, which I know she will, you better treat her like she's the fucking queen of Fire Country."

"Koshuu-"

"She loves you. She knows you don't have anyone left either." He took a deep breath and regretfully admitted, "Chiisai will come back…And if anything, it would only be for you." Koshuu was already walking toward the door as Kakashi shakingly took in his words. The librarian glanced back one last time and said, "And don't think because I said that it means I like you as a person. I still think you're a fucking asshole."

After he left, Kakashi held his face in his hands, wondering how right Koshuu was.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Granny, she's crying in her sleep again."

Nekobaa shook her and said, "Denka, wake her."

One of the ninnekos extended his claws as he trotted to the injured woman. He sliced through the skin that still had working nerve endings, marking another set of red lines on her. This was one the very few things she had told them: whenever they needed to wake her, use cat claws.

Chiisai grimaced as the pain welcomed her back to reality with its usual burning embrace. It hurt everywhere, which she supposed must be a good thing. The frostbite, thanks to the medicine, started to heal quickly…Which meant it hurt even worse. Just looking at her balloon-like fingers made her gag. Most days she couldn't even look at her toes without vomiting…

But it was the only way if she were to return to Konoha in fifty-two days.

Chiisai frowned from the warmth trailing down her cheeks. She asked, "…Was I crying again?"

Tamaki nodded but didn't comment. The mysterious lady always cried, even though she tried to hide it. But the metal walls did little to cover the sobs during the night.

"Did anyone get hurt?"

Nekobaa waved a hand and replied, "My, you always think the worst. Everyone's alright, Chiisai." She scratched her whiskers and muttered, "I was supposed to tell you something…Why did we come in here?"

"The medicine," Tamaki replied. Her grandmother grinned as she said, "Ah, thank you. Yes, we're trying something new today!" She reached in her sleeve and pulled out a bottle. The liquid inside was thick and cast a bluish hue when it caught the light. "It's supposed to double the speed of cellular reproduction…or something like that."

Denka licked his paw before adding, "Is that the one with the saliva of Nekomata boss?"

The other ninneko, Hina, said, "I thought you were saving that."

"…Saliva?" Chiisai could only frown at the people taking care of her. Of course, she was beyond grateful for what they were doing, especially considering that she was a complete stranger to them. Pain seeped into her mind, and she was already regretting speaking out loud. Her body tired at even the most minuscule things now, and she hated it with a passion.

Nekobaa popped the lid and grinned, "Of course! It's full of antibiotics! I have only the best for Itachi's little crow. It's so sad the way he ended up, but that kitten does have some good left in him." Why else would he leave Chiisai on their doorstep? It was obvious he cared for the girl and wanted her safe…But for what reason Nekobaa couldn't tell. You could never tell with that boy…

"Here," Tamaki said, "She needs to have a full stomach before we can give it to her." The girl took the medicine and turned to Chiisai. "You'll eat everything today, right?" She smiled and finished, "You're going to have to get stronger if you want to walk by the end of the month."

Chiisai nodded, which was enough to please the teenager.

Chiisai would get stronger, no matter what it took.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Slowly but surely, Kakashi found his strength returning again. Though he was in the hospital for a week after first using it, the jonin had built enough chakra to activate his Mangeyko Sharingan. Of course, being in the hospital wasn't particularly pleasant, but one had to start somewhere in order to achieve success.

And he needed to succeed. He needed something to focus his energy on, or else he would soon realize what he needed was an actual person who wouldn't be returning for another forty-six days. Forty-six more days of waking up alone in a bed without the warmth of her body nestled against-

"Kakashi, are you okay?"

The ninja blinked down at the ninneko and smiled, "I was just thinking about her again. It's nothing to worry about."

"You've barely touched your food." Tomo pressed her head to the bowl and scooted it closer to him. "You're going to need all the energy you can get to use your Sharingan soon."

He sighed but abided. The cat channeled her anxieties into taking care of him, which was an extreme change of character. He almost missed the times when she insulted him. The only reason they had each other now was because of Chiisai. It was nice to have the ninneko around though…The apartment didn't feel so lonely.

"I heard that the village and the Stone have finally come to truths."

"Hai," he nodded half-heartedly. Lady Tsunade had told him earlier. The Stone agreed that Hitoshi's death was deserved, so the actions of the Leaf were pardoned. And no one, including the ambassador, cared to remember the kidnapped girl…Just that she was Kakashi's girlfriend. Chiisai was responsible for their lack of memory it seemed. She had managed to keep peace between the two villages…

"Kakashi?"

"Hmm?"

The cat shook her head before hopping off the table. "Nothing."

She took a glance at Kakashi. He covered his depression well in public, but the facade was gone as soon as he set foot in the apartment. Tomo sighed to herself. She'd have to get Gai to visit Kakashi after he came back from his mission.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"...I tried it."

Itachi raised an eyebrow at her hesitance and replied, "How did it end?"

"I lost myself for a bit," Chiisai sighed. "It's been a long time since I've been that deep in the dream world. It felt like I was there for a year."

That peaked his interest. Chiisai never let him too far in the dream world once she discovered it contained multiple layers. And now that she remembered everything, it seemed she was re-exploring every nook and cranny of it. "And your emotions?"

"Are under control for the most part," she nodded. A cup of milk appeared in her hand, and after a sip she commented, "I haven't cried since then, so I assume it's working." But the ache inside never left her, no matter how long she meditated.

The Uchiha placed his tea on the table. His hands pressed into the cool wood as he pushed himself to his feet. With his ever present calm look, Itachi said, "We shall see if it is working then. What I am going to teach you today will need every ounce of concentration you have."

She stood with him, though she wasn't sure where he was getting at. "You've already taught me chakra control. What else is there?"

"As you are aware, there is a jutsu that hides the user's mind from any intruder." A piece of parchment appeared in front of them with a seal decorating its rough texture. Itachi nodded to it and continued, "It was mainly used against the Yamanaka clan, but since it is so difficult to perform, very few people know it."

She narrowed her eyes. "But Danzo does."

"Which is why I am going to teach you everything I know," he replied. "If you are returning to Konoha in three weeks, you will especially need this information. Danzo was responsible for you kidnapping, and it is likely he will act again the next time he sees you." Itachi failed to mention to Chiisai what else he was responsible for. He had never told her who had taken Shisui's eye that night, and if she ever figured it out…Her chakra would turn as wild as a biju's.

Chiisai ran a hand through her hair at the mention of returning home. "Do you think I'll be ready by then? My body's still weak…I can barely walk to the kitchen and back without stopping for breath. And mentally…" She shook her head. "I'll have to meditate in the deepest layer of the dream world until I can get everything under control. We're lucky I haven't killed Nekobaa or Tamaki on accident."

"I cannot help but wonder what your return will bring for Konoha," Itachi said. Everyone would know about her by then, and privacy would not be an option. Even the Hokage's reaction to Chiisai might prove fickle…

Her lungs expanded as she took a deep breath, making sure she kept calm. But certain thoughts had haunted her every day since she last saw Kakashi. "Will he forgive me? I'm not sure how I'll face him…I can't even look at his dreams." Chiisai closed her eyes and whispered, "It's just…I broke his heart, Itachi. I tried to leave after I promised I never would. How could I do that to him?"

The man reached out and squeezed her hand. "It's not him I'm worried about." He furrowed his eyebrows, the only sign showing his worry. "However, will you tell him about Shisui?"

"…Kakashi already figured out you unsealed me…And he realized that I remembered losing someone. I think he has a right to know that part of my past, since I know all of his." Her expression dissolved under Itachi's look. She removed her hand from his and rolled her eyes. "And yes," she sighed, "I know I can't tell anyone about you. I'm not that stupid, Itachi."

He shrugged and half-joked, "I just wanted to be sure."

His lightheartedness did little to raise her spirits. Her hair fell over her face as she thought of another Uchiha who used to be lighthearted. It was difficult to not think about him, she realized. "Do you think Shisui would be…"

Itachi gazed down at the tea sitting on the table. Tendrils of steam curled in the air as he softly replied, "…Sometimes I wonder if he somehow brought you and Kakashi together."

"What do you mean?"

"Kakashi is the only one in Konoha that can counter your abilities." He met her eyes and asked, "Did you ever think how strange it was for you two to meet right before the seal broke?"

"Actually," she muttered, "if it hadn't been for that book Kakashi gave-"

"_You haven't been reading those cheesy romance novels again, have you?"_

Her eyes widened at the memory, of seeing Shisui grin at her. Itachi watched as a smile etched its way to her face. Raking a hand through her hair, she muttered, "…It was a damn cheesy romance novel."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "I assume that has some significance?"

Chiisai waved a hand and replied, "Yeah, it's nothing."

But it wasn't nothing. He could clearly see what was forming at the corner of her eyes. The ninja reached out and caught a tear trailing down her cheek. "…You're crying."

She smiled and said, "It's because…I'm happy." A small laugh escaped her and she finished, "But it seems my body only knows how to cry."

He smiled, thankful to see her crying from something other than pain. She had been so lost when he first took her to Nekobaa's, and it had taken two weeks before she was mentally stable. He tried to help her every night since, to make sure she had some form of closure from her past. But her chakra needed to be repressed frequently during that time, and he wondered if Chiisai would ever be able to return to the Leaf. She had come so far, and her determination to not disappoint Kakashi had fueled her more than he thought it would.

Itachi asked, "Should we start tomorrow instead?"

"No, no," she smiled. "I think this is the perfect time, actually." She couldn't slack off when she was already so close to the end. After all, she only had twenty-one days left. "Teach me the jutsu."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Three more days.

Kakashi's mind hovered around those three words as he made it back to his apartment. Tori sat on his shoulder as he climbed the stairs haggardly. But his tiredness would mean he would be in bed quicker…Meaning he wouldn't have time to marinate in his thoughts…Or loneliness.

His sixty days without Chiisai had resulted in some of the most extensive training of his life. Working his body, hearing the slick _smack _of kunais hitting their target…It distracted him from the real reason his heart beat so fast. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, he was terrified that she wouldn't return. It made him feel weak to think this though. As a shinobi, Kakashi could endure life without Chiisai…but life without her meant living each day with another hole in his chest. But that was something he was used to already...

Tomo's voice brought him back into reality. "I hear someone, but it doesn't sound like your neighbor."

Kakashi couldn't hear the person, but he could indeed sniff out the mixture of cat and dirt. Kakashi squinched his nose at the unfamiliar scent. Whoever it was needed a shower.

The jonin silently reached the top of the stairs with his hand on a kunai. But the person in the hallway lay on the floor outside his door. The ninja furrowed his brow at the stranger, but his appearance brought back no memories. The person was small, and anything that could specify gender was covered under dull baggy clothing. Both the arms and legs were wrapped in bandages that were well worn; and a scarf concealed everything but the eyes. The boy looked like a desert nomad, and Kakashi caught the faint smell of opened wounds.

Seeing no threat (but possibly a trap?), Kakashi proceeded to cautiously approach the sleeping boy. If the boy was asleep, maybe he was a message from Chiisai. The ninja came down in a crouch as his hand reached for the scarf. Questions turned in his head, and he hated to hope for what would be a disappointment. But once he pulled the cloth back, the ninja found himself unable to comprehend the emotions pulsing through him, because sleeping outside the door of his home was none other than Karasu Chiisai.

END

_Sorry it's a bit rushed, but I wanted to post something today…That involved three days and a return. I am a bit regretful about the last chapter, so I have come up with a way to make it up to my readers, though I don't know how you all may feel about it. Would anyone like a KakashiXChiisai story of just random drabbles of them (because who doesn't love their fluffy sarcastic awkwardness)? And then each chapter would be the reader's suggestions…And with readers, I mean you (especially the ones who vocalized their discomfort from the april fool's joke)!_

_PinkPantherofDoom: I'm sorry to hear that, but at least you know the extent of your allergy! The buns thing sucks though. (I'm allergic to both my dog and cat but I still can't help but love on them. Then I get hives and junk :/)_

_Dagset8: Yes…that was indeed troll status XD_

_DiscountJoanJett: Is it bad that I smiled when you said "damn you"? I am truly a horrible person._

_Aleri: I'm secretly Loki, so I'll take that as a compliment. :P_

_Guest: …I hope you are still alive, friend. _

_Gaabii: Well…You can trust that this will end happily. It will just take a while to get there :)_

_Kiyuuni: If it helps, you guys just reaffirmed to me your excitement for this story. Of course, I may have blown that to pieces, but I didn't really know you guys were so into this XD (I have confidence issues with my writing)_


	6. Welcome Home

She was momentarily confused when forced awake. Her mind groggily sifted through the probable situations but nothing came to mind while in her exhausted state. It felt like the sting from cat claws…But she left Nekobaa's a few days ago…Had Denka or Hina followed her back?

"Chiisai."

The voice sounded familiar, but all she paid attention to was her aching limbs. Chiisai curled into the warmth surrounding her, wanting nothing more than to blissfully strip herself from her body and enter the dream world. "Sleep…"

"…You real?"

"Mmm." But the question strengthened the beating of her heart, so with some effort she opened her eyes. A masked face hovered above her, with one dark eye and one red one staring intently into hers…

The adrenaline rushed into her at the realization and she pushed away from him. Kakashi caught her as she winced from the onslaught of pain in her limbs. All that time practicing emotional control seemed lost on seeing him. Joy, relief, fear, guilt, love, shame- they all pounded out of her heart like blood and traveled into every cell in her body. "Sorry, I didn't mean, uh, shit, I'm crying. I'm so sorry, I can't ever make up for-"

He kissed her long and hard, putting a silence to her emotional ramble. His touch had her frozen in place, but the kiss wasn't aggressive like Hitoshi's. It sent sparks dancing inside her and she soon found herself easing into his embrace. The pain was lost under his lips, removing any doubts she possessed. Her hands went to his face but as her fingers curled around his mask she cringed.

Kakashi pulled away with a pained look before whispering, "Ah, sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

"No, it's my fingers," she explained. "It's definitely not you."

Kakashi smiled at the comment though he was still overwhelmed with seeing her. She was pale, but not the deathly pale like before. Her hair had grown a few inches since he last saw her and her bangs were almost past her nose, which made it easier to move to the side. But the vacant eyes she once bore now thrived with life, which he understood to mean that she wanted to be here…With him.

On seeing her blush at his constant gaze, he then studied her wrapped limbs and readjusted his hold. "How much pain are you in?"

She wiped her eyes with the back of hand and cursed her lack of emotional control. "…I'm not crying because of that," she replied with a sniffle. Surely she wasn't this pathetic…Dammit, she really was. Chiisai was literally crying for joy at seeing him.

Tomo curled into Chiisai's lap and purred, "It's glad to see you're finally back. We were worried."

"I came as soon as I was able to," she said softly. "My body…I probably should have waited longer." She already felt the effects from her strenuous travel, but the pain was worth it. Just seeing Kakashi smile was reward enough and it filled her with relief. It even felt easier to breathe.

The jonin stroked the side of Chiisai's face, barely believing that she was physically present. All that time waiting and she was finally here…It was almost like a dream. "You sure you're real?"

"You're using my line, Farm Boy."

A smile formed as he closed his eye. The joy at hearing the nickname made him want to laugh and hug her closer, but he would probably crush her fragile body. He shook his head and commented, "I can't believe how much I missed you calling me Farm Boy."

"I can't believe you let me call you that," she replied before kissing him.

Tomo watched the two exchange affection as they were now completely unaware of the cat's presence. After a moment, the ninneko stepped off of Chiisai and rolled her eyes, though her tail flickered with amusement. "You both are still nauseating it seems."

Chiisai smiled into his lips. A few months ago she would have hated to hear a statement like that, but now is was a compliment she enjoyed hearing. She pulled back and returned her gaze to Kakashi. The tears crept up to her eyelids again, and the emotions reigned in the past sixty days were free from their bondage. Just looking at the ninja had them spilling from her. God, after all this time she still loved him, and the look in his eye had her heart ready to burst with happiness…But with happiness came guilt.

Her chest heaved as she said, "I'm sorry I left you. I'm sorry for aband-"

He brushed his lips against hers. Truthfully, Kakashi wanted nothing more than to keep kissing her, and holding her, and making sure she wouldn't disappear out of his arms. Her mouth moved with his in a controlled urgency, and Kakashi found himself wishing for the first time to not be wearing a mask. How had he gone this long without her? The feel of her exhilarated his senses, and even their soft kisses had his pulse heightening with excitement.

"I'm just glad you came back," he whispered against her skin. "I was afraid…I was afraid you wouldn't."

The truth in his tone had her burying her face in his chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry-"

He wrapped his arm around her shaking form and rested his chin on her head. Knowing her, Chiisai would keep apologizing for the rest of the week. However, he was beyond glad to see her back to her normal self after all that time away. "You're back," he said, "and that's all that matters."

She suddenly winced as her hands jerked. Carefully, the ninja stood to his feet with her against him. Her body twitched and her lips parted to release a sharp gasp. Chiisai always did try to cover her pain, so her actions meant it must be at optimum level. With a worried expression, he said, "I should take you to the hospital."

Chiisai shook her head against his vest. "Can we do that tomorrow? I just…I want to be with you and Tomo for now. Is that okay?"

His eye softened. "That's sounds perfectly fine with me."

Kakashi crossed the threshold into the apartment with Tomo at his heels. Chiisai relaxed in his arms and glanced around. It was as neat as ever, without a hint of stacked papers or dust. The smell of fresh laundry hit her nose, and she realized how bad her odor radiated from her. Chiisai's eyes caught an added piece of furniture towering in the living room. "You got a new book shelf. I like it."

"It's for you."

"Hmm?"

Kakashi kicked off his shoes and stepped closer to the bookcase. "It was your birthday present. It's a bit cheesy, but you did say you enjoyed cheese."

She blinked at the furniture, curious to see what he meant. On the side of it stood a scarecrow carved in the midst of a cornfield, and sitting on its arm was an overly affectionate crow. She instantly understood. He had stolen a kiss the day they discussed this...That was the day she finally admitted liking him. Kakashi was right, it was entirely cheesy and she couldn't help but appreciate it. "It's been a long time since I've gotten a birthday present. I didn't know you were this generous with gifts though...I never got anything for yours."

He kissed the top of her forehead and replied, "You here is better than anything you could buy me."

She shook her head and muttered, "This hasn't turned out at all like I thought it would." Indeed, but what had she planned on it being like? For one, she didn't plan on sleeping outside his apartment. Kakashi hadn't scolded her or asked questions either, which she was thankful for. But that conversation was going to happen anyway, it was just a matter of when. And then she would have to tell him about Shisui...

Her eyes wandered up to Kakashi's face, but she turned her head when she saw him watching her. She silently reprimanded herself at the blush reddening her cheeks, despising the fact that practicing composure had been a waste. "Um…I stink. Can I take a bath?"

"You don't have to ask permission," he replied. "This is your apartment too." He carried her to the bathroom and set her gently on the sink. His hand slid from her back and already he was eager to hold her again. Chiisai shrugged the bag off of her shoulder with slow precision, and every movement was memorized by Kakashi. She was clearly in pain, and that mixed with her exhaustion would mean she wouldn't be able to last long staying awake. He rested his hand on the door and proceeded to ask, "…You need anything?"

She hooked the clothing with her thumb and pulled them out. "…I got it."

Kakashi nodded before closing the door. Tomo sat next to the wall with her tail curled around her feet. The ninneko gazed up at him with a clouded expression as she said, "She's going to need help."

Kakashi's ears prickled at Chiisai's gradual movements. "You know how she is." The man and the cat waited outside several minutes, listening to the woman's clumsy actions. A curse finally resonated from the bathroom. Both Tomo and Kakashi exchanged glances.

The ninja rapped his knuckles against the door and said, "Chiisai?"

"…My fingers aren't working."

How had she made it back to Konoha with her body in the shape that it was? Kakashi frowned at the thought and asked, "Can I come in?"

"…You'll come in even if I say no."

Partially true. Both he and the ninneko cautiously trudged in to see Chiisai still sitting on the sink. Somehow, she had managed to take off her shirt and pants. But her limbs remained wrapped, though she was currently trying to unwind the bandage. What got his attention though wasn't her predicament, but her new scar.

His chidori left a permanent stain on her skin and branched out in root-like patterns. It peeked out from her wrapped chest, and one traveled over her collarbone and up the side of her neck. She watched as he studied the design before saying, "Kakashi, there's no need to be upset about it. You saved my life…It's a scar I actually don't mind having."

She was right of course, it did save her life. But the eternal mark on her skin was done by his hand and reminded him of the turmoil of when he rescued her. Why did it hurt so much seeing it? Kakashi noticed Chiisai's deliberate movements at unwinding the strip of cloth. Her determination and pride seemed unscathed from her months in remission. "Here." He took the bandage and delicately straightened her arm out. He unwound it as gently as he could while addressing, "You won't be able to bathe yourself either."

"No, you don't have to-"

He glanced up to see her cheeks flushed. She was already pulling her arm back from his grasp. The jonin met her eyes and with a softened tone said, "I would like to help you, if you'll let me."

She had been bathed plenty of times by Tamaki and Nekobaa, but it was entirely different if it came to Kakashi. How could she say no after everything she did to him? Maybe she should have gone to the hospital after all. Kakashi patiently waited while she mustered over the outcomes. Knowing the inevitable, Chiisai eventually sighed, "I didn't think I'd be getting naked for you on the first night back."

"I've already seen you naked, remember? Hmm, maybe if I..."

Chiisai's eyes shrunk in their sockets as Kakashi unzipped his vest. He shrugged it off and tossed it the side. It was quickly joined by his headband, shirt, undershirt and pants. Chiisai held her hands out to stop him and said, "What are you doing?"

He just smiled and replied, "Getting undressed of course. I need a bath myself."

She glanced up but then closed her eyes once she saw his sculpted torso. Damn ninja and his perfect body had her heart racing again. Fear also rose inside, and in her haste to squash back down she blurted, "You must have trained a lot." Shit, did that comment just come out of her mouth? Her time with Itachi and the cat lady had dulled her social skills even worse than before.

"It was a good distraction." The jonin, who at least was still wearing briefs, unwrapped the rest of the bandages. Chiisai watched his hands and prepared herself for his reaction. Kakashi stared down at her limbs which were now bare. Her skin, though healed, displayed a pinkish hue that didn't match the rest of her. He met her eyes and asked, "Is the color permanent?"

Her body seemed more exhausted at her heart racing, and sleep was finally catching back up. She didn't realize that her head was easing forward with heaviness. "I don't know. The spit's helped…"

Kakashi frowned and placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her. Chiisai's hair blocked half of her face now, so he went to brush it back. "Spit?"

The ninneko's gold eyes widened at the information. "That why you smell like cat," she said. "That's Nekomata Boss's saliva all over you." Her tailed flicked as she asked, "Where did you manage to get such a thing?"

Chiisai mumbled, "Granny…"

"Granny…As in Granny Cat?" Tomo tilted her head in curiosity. "That…Makes sense."

Kakashi nodded. "She lives in an abandoned city." Kakashi theorized that Chiisai might be staying in a shrine from what she had told him, but Nekobaa would be the perfect place to conceal Chiisai's powers. And the only person he knew that linked the two women was Itachi. He must have have been the one that Chiisai had talked about. But why would he save Chiisai and then hide her? Why hadn't he killed her…Unless he was saving her for the Akatsuki?

Kakashi lightly shook her. Concern was already creeping upon this happy occasion. "Chiisai." He held his hand against the side of her face as he saw why she wasn't responding.

The woman had fallen asleep on him.

"I don't think she'll be coming back for a while," Tomo commented. "With traveling all the way from the city I'm surprised she stayed awake as long as she did."

The jonin supported all of Chiisai's weight as he continued to observe her. It would be best to hold off on the bath then, even if she reeked of cat. Her skin, especially around her feet, showed imprints to where the bandages once were, displaying that they must have been worn a long time. Kakashi sighed and lifted Chiisai up once again. Scars lined almost every bit of her skin now, all except her face. Would she hide them all from the world like Kakashi did with his? Chiisai deserved a better life than Kakashi had provided for her…He hadn't even protected her from Danzo, or that damned Hitoshi, or even Itachi. But Kakashi would do everything in his power to make sure Chiisai was safe. He intended on making it up to her as long as he lived.

Kakashi silently carried her down the hall and into the bedroom, where he placed her on the bed. Tomo hopped at the foot of it as he turned off the light. His eye softened at seeing Chiisai's silhouette in the darkness, filling the side that had been empty for far too long. He sunk down beside her, watching her sleep peacefully next to him.

After some time, he finally pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered, "Welcome home, Chiisai."

END

_I thought there should be some cheesy fluff before the politics set in. On a random note, you guys are the best followers a fanfic writer could ever have (seriously, the comments and follows make me feel like I have a middle school crush on ya'll)! XD _

_Any questions? Comments? Things you would like to see/not see in future chapters? Any Naruto characters you would like to see interacting with Kakashi and Chiisai? Like I said before, the structure for the plot is laid out but there's a lot of room for improv._


	7. Bath

His fingers sank into Chiisai's skin as her body jolted in a tizzy of pain. She released a gasp and her eyes flew open. Her body twisted in his arms, her fingers tremoring as if burned. After a few seconds she was gasping for air with Kakashi holding her against him. Unfortunately, that was all he could do for her. It only made him clutch her tighter, as if just touch could transfer the pain to him.

She rested her forehead against his bare chest when the worst passed. His head was bowed above hers, his breath brushing the roots of her hair. Squeezing her eyes shut, she said, "I appreciate the hug, but you're kind of hurting me."

The ninja carefully loosened himself from her but didn't pull away. "That's better," she whispered. The sharp sting dulled though her fingers ached. The frostbite left her with chronic pain so bad that it even yanked her out of the dream world. Chiisai blinked up at him and asked, "…Did I wake you up?"

"I was already awake." He kissed the top of her head lightly, yet again relieved that he wasn't hallucinating on seeing her next to him.

She yawned, "That didn't hurt at all…Just so you know."

"Hm." Kakashi brushed his lips against her forehead, her nose, and then her lips. A smile formed on Chiisai and she pressed her mouth against his. Kakashi's hand cupped the side of her face, traveling down to the base of her neck.

His thumb grazed over the scar as he whispered, "I marked you well it seems."

His words brought up images of the past, of Shisui tracing the line below her collarbone. To distract herself, she said, "It's not as bad as you think. You can see it if you want." Chiisai slid out of his grasp and slowly sat up. Her body throbbed, making it difficult to move. Her fingers curled around the bandage currently constricting her breasts. She was now wide awake, a side effect from the rush of pain.

Kakashi frowned as he watched her move in the darkness. He propped himself up on an elbow and said, "You're willingly letting me look there?"

She rolled her eyes and replied, "I still need a bath. Unfortunately I've realized you're going to see me naked either way."

He raised an eyebrow, though she couldn't see it. "Are you sure you're Karasu Chiisai?"

"Oh darn," she muttered, "when did you realize I was her evil twin?"

The ninja replied, "I'm glad to see your sarcasm hasn't changed." Her recovery seemingly had her back to her normal self, though he suspected she was partially acting. Her physical pain sat evident before him, making him wonder whether Nekobaa really did take care of Chiisai. His Sharingan also hadn't detected any of Itachi's influence, but some influences didn't require chakra…

Chiisai blinked down in the darkness while focusing on her fingers. Nothing happened. Closing her eyes, she tried again. It was difficult concentrating since Kakashi had his lips pressed to her shoulder. She muttered a curse as she tried to unwind the bandage. "My fingers aren't working again. Looks like you're going to have to do all the work, Farm Boy."

Kakashi repositioned himself and lifted her against him. She was definitely acting normal, too normal to be exact. He replied, "I find no problem with that."

A sliver of moonlight peeked through the curtain, lighting the way while Kakashi carried her to the hallway. Chiisai rested her chin on his shoulder as his hands held her thighs. Her body leaned against his bare chest, reminding her just how muscular he really was. It filled her with fear, though it also gave her a sense of protection. "Hey, where's Tomo?"

"On an errand." Kakashi stepped into the bathroom and sat her on the sink. He flipped the light switch on. The woman groaned and squeezed her eyes shut from the blaring light. Kakashi blinked several times before saying, "You're really alright with us bathing together right now?"

She squinted her eyes at his chest and snorted, "A woman has a right to change her mind. That few hours of sleep gave me time to mentally prepare myself anyway."

Kakashi stepped towards her. She avoided his gaze and lifted her arms, allowing him to begin undressing the rest of her. He would never know how hard this really was for her, though she was glad he didn't know.

The ninja asked, "You needed to mentally prepare yourself to see me naked? I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult."

Her eyes looked everywhere but at Kakashi. "Look," she sighed, "I can't be you and be unfazed at nudity. You read too much erotica."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied. "I'm always unfazed, erotica aside."

He paused as the last bandage fell. The lightning scar centered directly over her heart and branched out in all directions, traveling over her breasts, down her stomach, up past her collarbone. The dull red lines stood out like the rest of her scars. The flashbacks of her near death overtook Kakashi, choking his heart in a mockery of what he had been so close to losing.

Full of self-awareness, Chiisai crossed her arms over her chest and said, "Can you stop staring? You just said you were always unfazed!"

Kakashi straightened his built frame and went to fill the tub with water. "I didn't expect to leave you with such a scar. Now you'll always have a permanent reminder of what happened…" He closed his eye and didn't turn around.

"We've already discussed this," she replied. "_You saved my life._ Besides, even if I didn't have this "permanent reminder," I'd still have the discoloration on my arms and legs." She raised her hands to further imply, but he didn't move. Frustrated, she slid off the counter and landed on the rug. Her eyes widened when her legs refused to support her weight. Kakashi caught her in time. He covered her mouth as she uttered a curse. Chiisai glared up at him only to realize he had switched into ninja mode.

Cold hit her legs as Kakashi sat her down on the toilet seat. His eye warned her to keep quiet and she nodded. He slowly leaned to the side and twisted the nob, stopping the steaming water. The only thing heard was their breathing, but the jonin continued to listen. Maybe it was paranoia, but his instincts usually weren't wrong, meaning…

There was someone else in the apartment.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Zetsu sunk back into the wall as the ninja appeared in the hallway. The creature reappeared directly behind the woman, who sat frozen in place. Silently, Black Zetsu extended his hand and pressed it into Chiisai's back. She stiffened as he swiftly sunk back into the wall. A scream rippled throughout the tiled bathroom as he travelled back to the ground. It was risky business, but _he_ wanted her chakra immediately…

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Kakashi reappeared in front of Chiisai with a look of distress. She flinched when he grabbed her arm, but her eyes never once blinked. Chiisai had her back pressed against the opposite wall, her eyes staring directly across her. He followed her gaze and asked, "What is it?"

She pointed above the toilet. "…Something t-touched my back."

He lifted his Sharingan to the wall but nothing met his eye. He then turned to Chiisai, but her chakra was normal...Well, normal for her. Kakashi placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Let me see."

She turned and touched her shoulder blade. Kakashi traced the area, but nothing was out of place. But the fear in her eyes was real. "Are you sure?"

"I definitely felt something." It was almost like a hand…

Kakashi frowned and returned his gaze to the wall. He felt along it but it was entirely solid. "I don't sense anything." No one could walk through walls, and as far as he knew there wasn't a jutsu capable of invisibility.

"That was weird. Am I that tired?" She shook her head and muttered, "Of course I'm that tired. I just traveled three days to get here and my body doesn't even work." The reasoning however didn't stop the chills running down her spine.

"Maybe we should put off the bath," he replied. Things were indeed beginning to get weird. If someone were to sneak in the apartment they would have to bypass his traps and his Sharingan…His fortifications would make sure to alert him if anyone were to enter…

The mental stress of the situation had Chiisai overwhelmed and it cut off all rationale. Forgetting her earlier worries, Chiisai hooked her thumbs under the fabric of her underwear and shoved them down. Panties now gone, she gently eased her way into the bathtub and muttered, "I'm too exhausted for life right now. I just want to get clean and sleep and not hallucinate. Okay?"

Kakashi met Chiisai's eyes. Dark circles hung under them and her skinny frame barely took up space in the tub. With a sigh, Kakashi stepped forward and pushed down his briefs.

He was now naked.

Chiisai screamed.

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"Her chakra can't be molded into any jutsu, but I can feel its power thrumming like it was a tailed beast's."

"It's the nicest we've ever absorbed. Can we get more later?"

The masked Akatsuki member inspected Zetsu's chakra network, which was now circulating with the girl's energy. Her signature was surprisingly an array of colors that shined with an intensity rarely seen. Itachi had hidden the girl for several months. The man hadn't cared of course, at least not until Zetsu investigated. Black Zetsu's curiosity about the woman was an anomaly all by itself, which had him interested now. Why had Itachi hidden such a specimen? The Uchiha's judgements were trustworthy enough, and releasing her instead of killing her meant something. He doubted she was a love interest, but this girl wasn't a part of the plan.

"It won't be as easy stealing her chakra now," Black Zetsu said. "She lives with a ninja who sensed us before we even got to her."

He raised an eyebrow hidden behind his orange mask. "Who is he?"

"The Sharingan wielder. Not a Uchiha."

Hatake Kakashi. Things really were getting interesting. "Is her chakra worth examining further?"

Black Zetsu placed a hand on the Akatsuki member's shoulder, transferring the woman's chakra to him. White Zetsu smiled and asked, "What do you think?"

"…It seems I'm going to have to speak to Itachi."

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Kakashi pulled Chiisai's hair to the side and pressed a washcloth to her back. "Can't you lean back?"

His knees were bent on either side of her, and each brush of skin had her inching further away from him. "I don't want to get any closer to…_that._"

Sighing, he replied, "I can't believe you're twenty-seven years old and can't say penis."

She cringed at the word, causing Kakashi to roll his eye. Chiisai scooted away from him and attempted turning around. He pulled his feet back to make room. Now facing him, Chiisai lifted her leg so Kakashi could wash it. "Just keep _it_ away from me."

Delicately, he dabbed the cloth around her heel. He hadn't realized Chiisai had a phobia of the male genitalia, though considering all that had happened to her it made sense. The jonin glanced at her and asked, "I guess the contract still stands?"

She looked away and replied, "Can we change the subject?"

"What would you like to talk about then?"

Well, since they were already naked she might as well lay it all bare. "…Actually," she sighed, "there's something I have to tell you."

Before she could say anything else there was a knock at the front door. "Oi, what is it now?" Kakashi stood to his feet, causing Chiisai's eyes to squeeze shut at the sight. "I'll be back." He pulled the shower curtain to hide Chiisai before leaving her in the tub.

Tonight was just full of surprises it seemed.

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Tomo sat at the bar in the ninneko underworld, lapping away at some beverage she really didn't care for. However, what she did care for was the information the ninneko beside her possessed.

"Oh, that was your human?" The brown cat shook his head and said, "She's a scrawny thing. Yeah, Nekobaa and her granddaughter took care of her for a long time, got her wounds healed. That Uchiha left her there like a stray kitten."

Her ears prickled and she replied, "And he didn't come back for her?"

"Not that I know of, but some traveling gypsies picked her up a few days ago." He grinned, "Is your human dabbling in bad affairs? I told you humans are a waste of time, except Nekobaa of course." The old lady always had some catnip lying around the compound…

Her golden eyes stared down at the drink. "Not my human."

"Your grandneko thought the same thing. Must be genetic. You want another round?"

"I think I'm done for the night." Tomo stretched and said, "Thanks again."

He waved a paw at her. "Eh, no problem. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything. Good luck with your human, Tomo."

She was going to need more than luck when it came with dealing with Chiisai.

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Kakashi pulled back the curtain to find everything but her nose up submerged in bubbly water. Chiisai tilted her head to say, "I saved you the trouble of cleaning the rest of me. Who was that?"

"Someone heard you scream." He took off his mask and added, "I told them I saw a very large spider."

She frowned up at him and asked, "And they believed that?"

"You underestimate my power of persuasion." The awkwardness of seeing him in towel and mask had the neighbor practically running back to his apartment. Kakashi stopped and said, "Why are you sitting like that?"

"The outside world is too cold. I'm huddling for warmth." Another side effect of frostbite: constantly feeling cold.

He leaned against the wall and continued to watch her stare up at him. Her hair floated around her, which was the only other part of her visible. Bubble baths weren't his thing, but the smell of crisp peonies was much better than the stench of cat. "Is this your natural habitat now?"

"Yes." Her hand appeared out of the water as her finger gestured him forward. It took most of her willpower to achieve this, though she was relieved to see it work. "Will you join me in my new niche? I still have to tell you something."

"Only if you don't scream when I get undressed again," he replied.

She huffed, "I just wasn't prepared for-" Kakashi had already de-toweled, and this time her line of sight stood directly across from _it_. She covered her eyes and yelled, "Don't do that! I don't want to see your dangly parts!"

"We've been through this," he sighed. "It's called a penis." He eased his way into the tub one foot at a time, making sure to avoid Chiisai. However, his legs were too long and he ended up resting his feet on either side of her hips. She flinched, but eventually relaxed into the situation again. There was nothing to be anxious about. That's she told herself, but a mixture of emotions and arousals had her wanting to flee.

Chiisai took a deep breath and finally said what she feared for weeks. "…Do you remember a Uchiha named Shisui?"

He lifted his eyebrows and nodded, "Shisui of the Body Flicker. He was a well-known ninja up until his suicide."

She met his eye briefly before confessing, "The memories Itachi sealed were of him. We…After I started working under the Hokage, I was introduced to him. We eventually began to like each other, and over the course of my training…we fell in love." She paused and gathered the rest of her strength. All the while Kakashi sat quietly, with barely a glimmer of emotion on his face. Finally, Chiisai continued, "The reason my powers were sealed wasn't because of my father. After Shisui committed suicide, I lost control of my emotions and I ended up killing three people." The pain in her chest flared up again, but she pushed through it and finished, "I was sealed because losing Shisui destroyed every piece of me. That's why I wanted to die back at the cave..."

His eye softened as he saw a tear trail down her eye. "Chiisai…"

"I'm alright now…for the most part." She wiped the tear away, thankful to discover how good it felt to have it all out. "Itachi only saved me because of a promise he made to Shisui. I'm sorry for-"

He couldn't take it anymore. His feet hooked around her and pulled. Her eyes widened and she was forced closer to him, causing some of the water to splash to the floor. Kakashi leaned forward and placed both hands on either side of her face. He kissed her and said, "I understand. And you don't have to apologize anymore."

She rested her hands on his and replied, "I'm apologizing because I felt guilty loving you. It felt like I was cheating Shisui, even though he's been gone for ten years… I hated loving you."

The ninja kissed her again and whispered, "When I first discovered I loved you I felt ashamed at feeling happy. I didn't deserve something like that, especially knowing I killed someone who loved me." He shook his head and finished, "I didn't deserve to love when Obito and Rin couldn't. You…definitely challenged my way of thinking."

"We're pretty messed up people, huh."

"Ah," he smiled, "I'd say we're just…people."

They sat there for a few minutes in contentment, at least, until Chiisai remembered how proximal she was to him. "Um…Can we get out now?" She pulled away and added, "…I'm tired and I'm starting to get cold."

He glanced down at her and replied, "It is a bit…nippy."

She stiffened before looking down at her exposed chest. A blush crossed over her and the woman quickly shielded them from his roaming eye. "You're gross."

He chuckled at seeing her flustered. It was nice to laugh again, and it felt like a weight gone from his shoulders. Kakashi said, "You need to get comfortable with the human body, and I have graciously decided that I'm going to help you."

She shouted, "I'm perfectly comfortable with the human body!" She quickly closed her eyes when Kakashi got to his feet. "You called my manhood "dangly parts,"" he replied. "I think that sums it up."

When she heard him step out she reopened her eyes. Her prune-like fingers curled around the bathtub as she pushed herself up. Now standing, she wrung the water out of hair and noted the need for a haircut. While Kakashi dried off, Chiisai gradually lifted her leg over the tub's rim. Her balance had deteriorated over the course of her rehabilitation and it showed.

She fell. Again.

Kakashi easily caught her, expecting this to be a normal ritual in their daily routine. "You're limbs don't work, remember?"

Her wet body was flushed with his now, which had Chiisai cringing from so much physical contact. "Please, please," she said, "can you put on underwear?" Images flashed behind her eyes and she didn't know if she could regain control.

He kissed the top of her head and teased, "Only if you say penis."

The images were spiraling through her vision, forcing the air out of her lungs. She wanted to run, to scream, to do anything that could help her escape the nightmare in her mind. "Please," Chiisai whimpered. "Please stop."

Kakashi frowned and pulled away. Tears stained the corner of her eyes and hurt flooded his chest on seeing her like this. He quickly pulled his clothes on, but something about this situation had his heart pounding with concern. Now dressed, Kakashi placed a towel over Chiisai's shoulders and whispered, "Why does this bother you so much?"

"It's just…" Pulling the towel tight around her, she continued, "It just reminds me of stuff I don't want to remember right now. The last time I was naked with a man..." She took in a ragged breath, trying to calm herself down.

His expression hardened. "What Hitoshi did-"

Chiisai tensed at the name. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pushed away from him and said, "I don't want to discuss what he did!"

Her reaction was too tense, too desperate to try to convince him. Her legs were pressed too close together and her knuckles turned white against the towel. Her discomfort with the male anatomy wasn't because she was overly modest, he realized. Chiisai didn't want to get too close to him for a specific reason, and all of her reactions tonight now made sense. Anger swept over him, an anger that was directed to a man he had killed. Kakashi realized that his death had been too swift for what all he had done to Chiisai…He had done more than Kakashi thought.

A torrent of emotions ran through him as he said, "Chiisai…It wasn't just his hands, was it."

END

_Weird chapter. Don't know what's happening, but the story doesn't want to go with my previous plans. I actually never intended for the Akatsuki to get so involved! Aaaandd If it ever gets boring/repetitive I need you to tell me! Also, changed rating to M for this and the Dream Breather just in case!_

_Guest: There will be M things, but Chiisai has to get through some things first...__ I'm uncomfortable writing things like that though, so we'll see how lemony it turns out (Somewhat tasteful or straight up smut?)_

_Gaabii: I wish you luck! I have 2 exams and a paper left (this chapter is actually a product of procrastination)_


	8. Developments

Her eyes widened a brief moment before looking away. "You're always too perceptive, Farm Boy," she whispered. Chiisai took a deep breath, assuring herself that it was going to be alright. It was going to be-

Kakashi took a step towards her; all the while his heart beat faster, ramming against his sternum like kunais on wood. He laid a hand on her arm and said, "Did he…" Kakashi couldn't even bring himself to say it. It made his stomach churn at the thought. The nausea and anger and helplessness wove itself into his veins and throughout his body. He knew her answer before she said it…But there was still hope that maybe…

"…He did," Chiisai replied. Her voice and expression both lacked emotion. The tears had long since dried, and the meditations in the dream world already had her accepting that part of her past. But a numbness now laced itself around her heart, making it difficult to express how she actually felt. "I lied to you earlier," she said, "partially because I was in denial…And partially because I knew it would cause you pain…And I don't like it when you're in pain."

His eye stared blankly at her as he processed everything. He placed a hand on the sink, his body slightly trembling from the horrors spiraling in his mind. Flashbacks of finding her so pale and wounded, with Hitoshi hovering over her… Kakashi squeezed his eye shut and took in a ragged breath as if he had been punched in the gut. And with what he was feeling, he might as well have. It hurt, physically hurt, to hear those two words come out of her mouth. _He did. _And Kakashi hadn't gotten there in time. Even worse, the reason she lied to him earlier had his heart aching after her even more.

Kakashi watched his hand grip the countertop, his knuckles baring white. He shook his head and stated, "After all you've been through, and you're worried about how I would feel." Kakashi suddenly had his arms around her as he mumbled, "You silly woman." His fingers sank into her damp hair. She didn't flinch, but rather rested her head against his chest. He had waited this long to see her, and the joy felt from a few hours ago was now smothered by anguish. Voice soft, he said, "I wish…"

"It's not your fault," Chiisai replied.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me," he whispered. "I'm here now though, and I'll do everything in my power to protect you." She wasn't going to end up like Obito or Rin; and she wasn't going to run away like Sasuke. Kakashi wouldn't let her slip away so easily again.

"Um..." She hated to ruin the moment, but she was forced to say, "Thanks, but you're hurting me."

Kakashi pulled away, realizing he was going to have to be more cautious around her. "Sorry…" A new thought occurred to him, and with some hesitation he asked, "Do I have your permission touch you?" He suddenly regretted teasing her in the bathtub earlier.

She nodded as she readjusted the towel around her. "It's okay…For the most part. You're going to have to carry me a lot anyway." Her hands grasped the oversized shirt laying on the counter and she gave Kakashi a look. He nodded and closed his eye, allowing her to change. Of course, now they had seen each other naked (she tried to ignore that fact), but she still didn't want him seeing her like that. After a few seconds of struggling with her legs, she managed to slide her panties up without falling.

"Besides," she added, "It's different with you." Her hand found his once she was dressed. She smiled and added, "You make me feel better."

"I'm glad," he smiled back. His expression under his mask dissipated when he opened his eye. Chiisai's hand began to shake, and the dreaded look in her face meant one thing. "You're about to have a seizure."

She gave a slight nod before her legs gave way. Kakashi caught her and as gently as he could laid her on the ground. "Dammit," she gasped, "it's not a normal-"

Her eyes gaped straight ahead, her body trembling against the rug. Kakashi cringed when the noises escaped her, and even then her eyes were opened…They didn't twitch, or roll to the back of her head. What kind of seizure-

It suddenly stopped.

Her breath came out forced as she said, "It's Danzo. The apartment's surrounded."

Kakashi cursed under his breath right when his security jutsu went off. His arms slid underneath her as he lifted her up. The barrier would only last so long, and if they were surrounded they'd only have a minute head start.

Glass shattered from the living room.

Make that a second head start.

Kakashi lifted two fingers to activate the Flicker Technique as the ninjas came. He didn't get far. Several more masked ninja followed behind, the moon shining against their pale masks. He needed a place that was safe, somewhere in public.

The hospital.

The jonin jumped from roof to roof as shurikens whizzed through the damp air. Kakashi charged on, weaving to avoid the weapons. His grip on Chiisai tightened. They were more than halfway there...Just a few more rooftops. He couldn't retaliate while holding Chiisai though. Even worse, it seemed his pursuers knew exactly where he was heading. And with them just using shurikens, it was sure to be an ambush.

He was right.

A line of ninjas appeared not three rooftops ahead, forcing Kakashi to halt.

At the head of them was Lord Danzo.

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"Your visit is a surprise."

"I've been curious about your activities lately," the masked comrade replied. "You've recently helped out a woman. Her chakra is special, is it not?"

Itachi eyed the orange mask, the red eye shining through it. Zetsu must have been watching in the shadows...And now Chiisai was in danger yet again. "She was an acquaintance from the Leaf. I thought her chakra was special as well, maybe useful to us, but she is unable to perform any jutsu. I saved her in hopes of discovering her power, however," he sighed, "even with my Sharingan I was unable to pinpoint the peculiarity."

His eye narrowed as he replied, "And you let her live."

"Her death would only cause the Leaf to respond to the Akatsuki."

All sound reasons, but he couldn't help feeling the Uchiha hid something from him. Of course, it was difficult to tell from the look in his eyes. "Her chakra is similar to that of a biju."

Itachi gave a slight nod, fearing where this conversation was leading to. Chiisai's chakra was as vibrant as a tailed beast's, and the silent power it radiated would now attract attention to unwanted ninjas. "…The signature is slightly different," he said. "But I am afraid her chakra won't work for the Gedo Statue."

The Akatsuki member tilted his head. How would they know unless they tried it? However, one couldn't give just any chakra to that statue. "I am about to see for myself. Black Zetsu is curious about her as well."

"I hope you don't make the same mistake as I have done," Itachi said evenly. "However, she is of no use to me now. Do what you wish."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Good evening, Kakashi." Danzo's mannerism remained the same as he said, "I require the woman."

The jonin surveyed the area. They were completely surrounded, and with Chiisai in his arms he wouldn't be able to fight back.

Danzo lifted an eyebrow. "Your choice?"

"Sorry," Kakashi replied, "But that's not going to happen."

"Very well." He nodded to the ninja beside him.

All at once the ROOT members silently sprung into action. Kunai's drawn, jutsus at the ready, the elite force attacked the couple.

The first kunai pierced Kakashi.

Once the weapon made contact, both Kakashi and Chiisai burst into a puff of smoke. The ninja immediately halted at the realization that they had been duped. But what else was to be expected from Hatake Kakashi?

"Shadow clones," Danzo didn't smile. "Amusing."

So the chase had begun.

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They were close to the Hokage's office when it happened. Chiisai's fingers sank into Kakashi's shirt as she released a strangled moan. He didn't stop, though he could feel her small frame begin to shake. His grip on her increased as the tremors worsened. And then it stopped.

Kakashi glanced down to find her unconscious. Now he was the one shaking her while she lay limp in his arms. Dammit, he couldn't have her in comatose at a time like this. Or maybe...

He didn't have time to see if she was alright. Five masked ninja flickered before him under the moonlight. His eye narrowed as they drew their kunais. The soreness in his muscles already ached after his intense day of training, but he barely felt it with the adrenaline racing through him.

To his surprise, all of the weapons clattered to the ground. Their bodies stiffened and one said, "I have them under my control, Farm Boy."

A half smile formed under his mask. The seizure must have pulled her into the dream world, which they could actually use to their advantage. "Thanks, Small Tiger."

The ROOT ninja sighed and pointed to the Hokage's office. "Just get your ass moving before more come."

He nodded, leapt over them, and headed straight to Lady Tsunade.

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Genma and Raido stiffened as they sensed someone approaching. Not someone, but two people. And they were sprinting straight to the Hokage's room.

The two flickered around the intruders, their kunais both aimed at their throats.

"What the hell?" Raido blinked at the familiar ninja, who was barefoot and in his pajamas. And in his arms was…

"It's an emergency," Kakashi replied. Chiisai was still unconscious. However, making it this far meant they were safe for now.

Genma stared down at the woman. The distal part on all her limbs were a dull pink, and her dark hair covered most of her face. He pointed down at her and managed to ask, "Is that who I think it is?" It had been months since she was last seen…He thought she was dead.

"Yes, which is why I need to see the Hokage, preferably as soon as possible."

Raido and Genma exchanged glances. Finally, Genma nodded and allowed them to pass.

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When Chiisai awoke, she found herself blinking at an unfamiliar ceiling. It wasn't sickening white, which meant it wasn't the hospital. It was also sunny, meaning she had been inside those ninjas' heads longer than anticipated. However, she had been able to break most of their seals. But what she found inside wasn't pretty. Their mission had been to retrieve Chiisai at any cost, even if it meant killing Kakashi.

With a groan, she slowly eased herself into a sitting position and found Farm Boy sitting next to her. "Hey," she mumbled. "Did we make it?"

Kakashi sat down the book in his hand and said, "Thanks to you we did. And just so you know, we are currently locked up in the Hokage's residence."

Chiisai grimaced at the IV protruding from her wrist. That would make sense, considering how nice this place was. "Locked away? And you did all the manual work. I just messed with some minds." Frankly, it had been easier than expected, and toying with Danzo's men had actually lifted her spirits. That bastard deserved it anyway.

Kakashi laid a hand on hers to stop her from yanking the IV out. "This is one of the safest places in Konoha," he replied. "Danzo's men won't be able to break in."

"Psh," she sighed, "you and Naruto both have snuck in here before. You sure they won't break in?"

The ninja frowned. "That was all the way back in my ANBU days. You knew about that?"

With some effort, she dragged her legs to the side and let them hang off the bed. Her left foot was currently numb, so standing was no longer an option. Chiisai tilted her head to Kakashi and replied, "Why do you think you got caught? I was the one that alerted the Third while he was asleep. Wait," she muttered, "that's not important." She glanced around to find the room lacking a certain individual. "Where's Lady Tsunade?" She turned back to him and then added, "And where did you get real clothes?" She was still wearing her giant shirt.

"She's in a meeting with the council. And jonin uniforms aren't really that hard to find." Kakashi leaned back in his chair and watched Chiisai. Her hair was a frizzled mess thanks to the cool air last night. Hopefully it wouldn't cause her to catch a cold. She also looked exhausted, and given the way she moved her body one of her legs wasn't working. Chiisai didn't need this right now, no one needed this. But the situation had proven worse once they made it to the Hokage's last night. If he had known beforehand…

Kakashi closed his eye and ran a hand through his hair, preparing himself for what was about to leave his lips. "They're discussing how to handle your interrogation."

She frowned, "I expected to be interrogated, but why would they discuss it so soon? I thought my injuries would buy me some time." God, she was tired. What she wouldn't give to sleep a few more hours...Or days.

"Your time with Itachi caused immediate attention." He shook his head and went on to say, "I would be the best candidate for your questioning given my Sharingan, but my affiliation with you has caused problems. It seems Danzo has found his advantage."

She froze. Danzo couldn't have the advantage. When that happened, he usually ended up having things his way…

Kakashi held her hand and traced his thumb over her wrist. The movement soothed his mind from the harshness of reality. Even after being reunited it seemed Fate wanted to tear them apart. Sensing his distress, Chiisai tugged on his hand. Kakashi scooted the chair forward and Chiisai's bare thighs slid onto his lap. She cringed when he placed his arms around her waist, but she forced herself to relax. This was Kakashi after all, and even when her mind feared the physical contact her heart rejoiced at it. And if she could handle them bathing together, then she sure as hell could handle this. Her fingers trailed over his jaw as she asked, "What happened?"

Kakashi sighed and replied, "Danzo informed the council about your abilities. And now that they know what Lady Tsunade has been hiding from them, they no longer trust her. They want to overrule her choice to have Inoichi interrogate you."

"This is ridiculous," she frowned. "Even the Third didn't tell them about me. And do they know that Danzo just attacked us last night?"

His hands rubbed up and down her back as he said, "They liked Hiruzen, so to them it seemed justifiable. But Lady Tsunade is a new Hokage, and her experience is slim. They probably fear she might take advantage of your power. And with the attack...I'm sure Danzo has come up with an explanation in favor of the council."

If only the council knew Danzo's real plans. Chiisai grimaced at thinking about it, and she wished she had been able to break into the rest of their minds. That damn seal was strong on some of them, and she still couldn't find Danzo in the dream world. "I didn't come all the way back here to be discussed by a group of ancients," she grumbled. "I want to talk to them."

He rested his head against hers, forcing her to look at him. "I don't think that's a good idea at the moment."

Her eyes stared into his. His eyelid was heavy, either from worry or lack of sleep. Chiisai said, "And why doesn't the council want Inoichi to interrogate me? Who do they want, Ibiki?"

His eye closed for a few seconds before he replied, "…They want Danzo. And if he succeeds, they want to turn you over completely to him."

END

_Thank you to the people who still follow this long story and the newcomers who have decided to give this a shot! I appreciate it! And Kakashi sneaking in the Hokage's place is from an episode in the Kakashi anbu arc._

_Rmueller89: I saw you stalking my fanfics lol. I am honored that you stayed up to read this! ^^_


	9. Change

Chiisai released a noise of frustration and dropped her head to rest against Kakashi's shoulder. "...You know what I need at times like this?"

"My love and support?"

"Mochi ice cream."

Kakashi let out a noise, though she wasn't sure if it was from laughter or exasperation. He stood up with her against him, and she flinched as his hands rested under her thighs. He could feel her forcing herself to take a deep breath. Kakashi asked, "Should I put you down?"

Damn it, why couldn't she relax? "No, no, I'm good." She frowned down at the IV before she undid the tape helping it to stay on her wrist. She hated IV's now, mainly because she wore a permanent purple blotch on her wrist from being attached to one for sixty-three days. With a grunt, she yanked the medical equipment out of her, causing blood to swell at the opening. But the tension from the needle was gone, giving her some sense of freedom.

The jonin sighed as he watched her. "You really shouldn't be tearing that out, Chiisai."

She could hear the disdain in his tone. Rolling her eyes, she replied, "You could have stopped me if you wanted to. And where are you going?"

His footsteps were silent against the hardwood as he made his way to the kitchen. It was larger than most, and it's clean counters had him wondering if Lady Tsunade even cooked for herself. Of course, as Hokage she easily could have her own chef. That theory seemed more accurate as he opened the fridge. "Well," he sighed, "she seems fully supplied with alcohol...Not a surprise."

She turned her head to the opened door. "Should we really be raiding the Hokage's refrigerator?"

He ignored her question and decided against drinking some sake. He opened the freezer and grasped what he had originally been searching for. "Oh, look what I found."

Her eyes widened at the box of Mochi ice cream currently placed in Kakashi's hand. She was silent for a few seconds. Decision made, Chiisai said, "...Well, one wouldn't hurt I guess."

Kakashi caught himself smiling as he sat her on the counter. He ripped the side of the box open and handed her the sticky dessert, which he regarded with a hint of disgust. Why Chiisai enjoyed such a piece of food was beyond his comprehension, but it did make her happy. And watching her eat it with zest, well, he couldn't help but be happy as well.

"Damn, this is good." She sighed with contentment as her tongue traced with cold sugar-coated treat. Granny Cat only had the basic foods in her metal compound, and sugary foods were hard to come by in such a lonely place. Chiisai had been forced to eat soup for the first weeks of her recovery, and after that she had been on a strict diet. Maybe that's why this tasted far better than it should have been.

"You want another one?"

She frowned up at him and replied, "Are you actually encouraging me to eat something unhealthy?"

"Your happiness is my priority right now, even if it requires me to go against my upstanding nutritional code." Simple words, but they had a depth to them that went far beyond what he meant. Would he go against his own code to make her happy? Letting her eat Mochi ice cream was one thing, but when it came to far more pressing matters...

Chiisai couldn't resist another one, and she eagerly grabbed it. Of course, her fingers only twitched when she tried to hold it. She cursed, and Kakashi quickly picked up the ice cream to feed to her. Kakashi watched her grimace as he held the treat to her mouth. Giving in, she parted her lips and let him feed it to her. Besides, having a body that was incapable of most tasks left little room for her pride.

After swallowing, she glanced up at him and asked, "Can I tell you something?"

Kakashi placed the box back in the freezer and said, "You can tell me anything."

Chiisai watched him wash his hands as she replied, "...I understand what the Council is doing. They fear what I can do. But...It makes sense. When you told me they knew about me, I immediately debated whether I should just erase that information from their minds. But...If I did that, it would just prove their point. When do I draw the line when it comes to using my powers?" It had been so easy before, but her long meditations had her questioning what was really right. Why was it okay to mess with some people's minds and not others? Some people did it in the name of justice, or the name of tyranny...But in the eyes of some people, justice and tyranny were the same thing. What did it all lead up to in the end?

"When have you usually drawn the line?"

Her thoughts drifted back to Shisui, and for a moment she closed her eyes. "I use it to protect the village and the people I love. And to help people when they have bad dreams."

Kakashi brushed her hair back from her face, relishing the feeling of her skin underneath his. "If you erased the Council's memories, who would it be helping?"

"Myself...That's why I didn't mess with anyone's minds before I came back." She glanced up at him and said, "Did I tell you that? I'm a lot stronger now, and I wanted to erase everyone's memories of me to make it easier when I returned." These past two months under Itachi's careful guidance left her more powerful than she ever imagined. But she never would be able to show what she could do...

He picked her up again and she gratefully laid her chin on his shoulder. The high collar of his vest rubbed against her cheek, and she could smell the crisp detergent used on it. Kakashi said, "I'm glad you didn't."

"Psh," she snorted, "it wouldn't have worked on you anyway. Your Sharingan would have seen right through my chakra."

He shook his head as he made his was back to the bed. "There's other reasons why I'm glad. You don't know how many friends you have now. You should have seen Genma's face when he realized who you were."

She sighed as he sat her down. Chiisai pulled away with Kakashi still holding her waist. She searched his eye for some type of answer, some comfort that she hadn't had during her time away. His eye was heavy-lidded, but as always, it was always attentive and watchful. Now, it was trailed on her, as if it absorbed every detail in her expression. A few months ago, Chiisai would have found the look unnerving, even invading. How could so much change so quickly?

Chiisai whispered, "...We can get through this, right? How is it that after one night back it feels like everything's back to normal? I thought it would be difficult talking to you...Or being near you. But it's the opposite."

"We're under the same stress as before, which may be forcing us to act as if everything's alright. After all, you're sick and someone's after you again." He smiled, "We've gotten through everything else though. We'll get through this too."

She smiled as she teased, "I forgot how passionate you secretly are."

"It's not a secret," he shrugged. "It just doesn't show like Gai's."

"I missed it," she said. "I missed you. And your droopy eye."

"I missed you too." He flicked her forehead and added, "And my eye does not droop."

Her hands wound around his mask successfully as she said, "You're in denial, Farm Boy."

He let her pull the fabric down, though he could feel the sugar on her fingers. "Your hands are sticky."

"My lips are sticky too." She raised an eyebrow as she asked, "Is that going to stop you from kissing me?"

He closed the space between them as he muttered, "Probably not."

Kakashi pressed his mouth against hers, hating the sweet taste but loving the feel of her lips on his. It felt right to have her with him, to have her small body nestled with his. It made him forget all that happened to them, even what was currently happening to them. There was only he and Chiisai in this moment, and Kakashi savored every second of it. His tongue touched her lips, and she parted her mouth without resistance. The kiss deepened, their lips constantly moving as they both eagerly began to make up for the past two months of separation.

A shrill gasp came from the door, causing Kakashi to instantly open his eye. He wasn't the one to blush at being caught showing affection, but when his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of pink hair, well, his mask was up before Sakura could blink.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"I will NOT have her treated like some S-ranked criminal!" Lady Tsunade pounded her fist on the table, trying with little success to reign in her emotions. Shizune watched warily, squeezing the pig in her arms a bit too tight. As usual, the two council members sat with scowls directed at the Hokage.

Homura, the more level-headed of the two, replied, "Her link to the Akatsuki, not to mention her said abilities, might as well put her on the list. We have no idea what secrets she's revealed to Itachi."

"I assure you," the Hokage said, "Chiisai's loyalty lies with the Leaf." Of course, the girl had been away for two months. A lot could change...

Koharu rubbed her temples with frustration. "For all we know she has both you and our best jonin under her control." Hatake Kakashi was by far the more elite ninja within the village, and having him practically serving Chiisai was a waste of his talent.

Lady Tsunade took in a deep breath, telling herself that she could get through this. Council meetings were never enjoyable, especially when tensions were so high. "Kakashi's Sharingan eliminates that possibility. This conversation also contradicts your theories on Chiisai. If she had her own interests in mind, Chiisai would have already changed your thoughts on her. The Third trusted her, as do I."

The older woman kept her eyes trained on the Hokage. Lady Tsunade was getting smarter in dealing with them, and it was proving more difficult advising her. "This is preposterous. We don't even have written accounts that she served under Hiruzen! The only thing we have to go on is her word!"

"As I said before, I trust her."

Homura readjusted his glasses. "Your trust isn't good enough. A power like that needs to be managed securely and properly. We already know your views on managing situations differ from ours, with Naruto being just one example. We will not let you make the same mistake again." Sending Naruto away with Jaraiya was not wise, and the council members still held that against the Hokage.

He turned to his old comrade. She nodded and said, "This girl is dangerous. Kakashi is too valuable an asset to watch over her night and day. And frankly, their relationship has me concerned."

Lady Tsunade almost laughed. She was concerned with their relationship? "Kakashi and Chiisai have been through enough as it is. Would you have her torn away from the only family she has, have her brutally interrogated by Danzo, and then have her practically chained to him for the rest of her life? Would you do that to someone who can emotionally influence the entire village?"

Koharu shook her head and forced out, "What would you do, Lady Tsunade? Cater to her every need so she wouldn't wreak havoc on us all?" If Danzo was right, which he usually was, the Hokage would do just that. What they needed was Danzo overlooking Chiisai. If anyone could fix this mess, it was him. He was far more reliable than this Hokage.

"Chiisai currently has a contract with me," Lady Tsunade said evenly. "She has agreed to serve and protect the village under my supervision, with Kakashi acting as our mediator. And with their relationship, plus his Sharingan, he will be able to tell if she ever goes against us. Now, I understand why you don't want him questioning Chiisai, but frankly he is the only one capable of doing it."

Homura countered, "You know why we can't let Kakashi interrogate her. If you want us to cooperate with you, Lady Tsunade, if you want our trust, changes are going to have to be made."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Kakashi hated change.

It wasn't necessarily a bad thing (though most times it was) and neither was it because he wasn't prepared for it. Kakashi could adapt to any change presented to him. That was partially why he had managed to survive for so long. No, the reason he didn't like change was because it messed up his routine.

As a highly trained ninja, Kakashi had grown up with routine. The early mornings, long hours training, the mental preparation before each mission, it all required a schedule that was built into his daily life in the village. Even his tardiness was a part of it. It made him feel somewhat normal, and the same activities every day was a comfort from the ever-changing missions. So when Chiisai had ungracefully forced herself into his life, Kakashi wasn't thrilled. If he were honest, he would admit to hating it. Of course, even then he had been attracted to her, but sharing his small living quarters with a woman whose organizational skills were next to Naruto's... The life of a bachelor was over. He disliked many things about the situation at first. She didn't clean...More like couldn't clean. Second, he found her hair everywhere- his clothes, the pillows, the shower, the shower drain...It wasn't pretty. Kakashi no longer had the luxury of keeping the toilet seat up, either.

But over time, Chiisai had integrated herself into his daily routine. It felt good to have someone around, and until then he hadn't realized how lonely he was. In the end, they discovered they were each other's missing half. Surprisingly, their strengths and weaknesses complimented the other's. And though they were entirely different, they felt entirely the same.

So as Kakashi sat there, watching Sakura assess Chiisai's wounds, he realized he never resented the change Chiisai had brought into his life. Even though aspects of her were...complicated, she was worth it. The hardships in his life seemed to dissolve whenever he looked at her, and when she smiled -truly smiled- it was by far the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

_Now I really am turning into Obito._

"Hey, why are you smiling like that?" Chiisai eyed him and said, "...It's creepy." Her lips felt swollen from kissing and her heart rate was only now returning to normal. But that kiss- more like kisses- was significant. The fact that Kakashi was able to drown out all her fears from the past filled Chiisai with hope. It meant Hitoshi didn't have a hold on her like she thought.

Kakashi waved a hand and replied, "Oh, nothing."

"You shouldn't have yanked your IV out," Sakura scowled. She was still mentally recovering from the sight of her sensei making out with his girlfriend, and the scolding helped distract her thoughts. "And your frostbite is worse than I imagined."

Chiisai didn't like the sound of that, and she certainly didn't like being chastised by a girl half her age. "What do you mean?"

The medic-nin, no matter how much she tried, found little circulation flowing in Chiisai's limbs. But little was better than none. "Some of your toes may require amputation. Can you feel this?"

Her dark eyes widened as she watched Sakura pinch her big toe. She didn't feel it. Chiisai pushed herself away from Sakura, fearing the changes that might have to be made on her body. "Can you heal me?" Having scars like hers were bad enough (though most of them were her fault), but amputation?

Sakura wanted to reassure the woman, but her level of medical jutsu wouldn't be enough. "Lady Tsunade might. You've done well, considering the last time I saw you. I wasn't sure you'd even be able to make it...Let alone walk. I'm glad to see you back in one piece, by the way."

Kakashi saw her about to crumble. But then, after a hesitant breath, Chiisai's expression melted into a blank slate. "Well," Chiisai said, "We'll just have to see what happens." She couldn't break down over something like this. Keeping her emotions in check was essential for stability in the dream world. If she got too upset, if those negative feelings managed to leak out into people's dreams...

He frowned at his girlfriend, but she currently had her eyes on Sakura. His formal student stood up from the bed. "With or without amputation, you'll need extensive therapy to repair the damage done to your limbs. I'll find Shizune later and tell her. I'm assuming...You'll be staying here?" No one ever did explain why they were holed up in the Hokage's residence. Of course, no one explained Chiisai's sudden return either. Kakashi hadn't searched for her during Chiisai's time away, meaning he must have known she would come back. Or had he just given up? It was easy to see how much she meant to him though. Finally, her teacher had found someone worth spending the rest of his life with. If only Naruto and Sasuke could see their sensei now...

Kakashi caught his student's sad eyes as he replied, "Chiisai's return has brought...Unwanted attention. And with her injuries, the Hokage believed this would be the best place to stay for the day. She needs to talk to her anyway."

Sakura nodded as she made it to the door. "Well, I hope things turn out well. It's nice to you see you smile again, Sensei." Sakura gave them a forced smile before exiting.

Chiisai sighed once the girl was gone. "I really don't want to have any of my body amputated. So much for coming back in one piece."

Kakashi pulled her to him as she mumbled, "I need another mochi ice cream."

About that time someone else entered. He glanced to the door, expecting to see the Hokage. He stiffened though when he saw who it was.

It seemed the Hokage's residence wasn't as safe as they thought. Of course, that's what Chiisai had said in the first place.

END

_Thoughts, questions, critiques? Everyone good with the flipping POV's? Hope everyone's doing well by the way! Also, does anyone not notice my horrible mix-ups? The past few chapters I accidentally switched the names "Tori" and "Tomo." The problem is hopefully fixed. Also, especially in "The Dream Devourer," I mixed up Ibiki and Inoichi all the time. If anyone ever notices this mishap in the future, PLEASE inform me! My embarrassment will only last a bit XD_


	10. A Turn of Events

Kakashi's body tensed around Chiisai. She frowned and glanced up at him, about to make a sarcastic remark, but his eye wasn't on her. Confused, her gaze followed his line of focus to the door as a "puff" sound filled air.

What had once been a guard standing three meters away was now a figure clad in black. A mask shielded his face, and its lack of designs or symbols had her questioning who it was. There were no swords attached to him, nor were there even pockets on him to store weapons. Whoever it was must be incredibly confident, if not incredibly foolish. Either way, the appearance of the mysterious man had her clutching onto Kakashi tighter.

Kakashi gently eased her back to the bed, all the while his eye trained on the intruder. The bed creaked under her small weight, and the noise set everything in motion.

The ninja calmly stepped forward, his whole demeanor the polar opposite of the people across him. Kakashi placed himself in between the man and Chiisai and lifted his headband up as a precaution. How the masked man managed to place himself as a guard without anyone noticing was a feat in itself. Hopefully the guard he posed as was just misinformed of his post and not dead.

The intruder came to a halt in front of Kakashi and in one swift motion released a flurry of hand signs. Kakashi caught the earth signs and in a split second readied himself to retaliate with lightning release. Earth's natural weakness was lightning, so why would the man use it against someone who was known for his chidori?

However, in a blink of an eye, the lightning extinguished from Kakashi's hand. Pain resonated within him, causing him to gasp from the invisible assault that struck him inside and out. He stared at the man, wondering why the intruder grew in height. No, Kakashi was falling, paralyzed by the slicing agony that burst throughout every organ, every cell in his body. It clouded his vision and muffled his hearing, muting his surroundings as another wave of torment rammed into him.

Through the haze of blurred colors, Kakashi realized that the man no longer stood in front of him. So he must be behind him…Where Chiisai was.

That thought broke the barrier pain built between him and reality. By sheer determination, Kakashi pressed his hand to the floor and forced himself to rise. Nausea overtook him, but the need to protect Chiisai was far too great. It drove him to his feet even when every piece of him begged to die. His sense of direction faltered as he desperately searched for the enemy. A smudge of black appeared once he turned. The smudge clashed with blue…the color of Chiisai's shirt. Slowly, willingly, Kakashi staggered toward his opponent, concentrating on each step that brought him closer to the two. He couldn't let the man take Chiisai. But the pain washed over him a third time, forcing his attention away from what his heart sought out.

And again Kakashi collapsed to the ground.

This time he didn't get up.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Chiisai screamed Kakashi's name as she saw him crumple. The man covered his gloved hand over her mouth, stifling her cries. What kind of jutsu would leave Kakashi immobile? His body trembled on the hardwood floor, physically showing the pain he was clearly in. If only she could get to him, do something-

The man sat down beside her on the bed, causing it to creak again. She drew away though he continued to have his hand over her mouth. She stared at the mask, but not even his eyes could be seen. Panic swept over her and she hurriedly forced it back down. Panic was a last resort. Though her chakra would protect her, it would inevitably feed off of anyone near her, including Kakashi. She must remain calm and think logically. Think like Kakashi.

The intruder removed his hand. She blinked as he pulled his mask down. Forehead, eyebrows slanted downward, and then amber eyes staring into hers. His dreams rushed into her mind, forcing up images of a lifetime spent in ROOT. Chiisai knew who he was, and with that realization brought an idea.

Chiisai let her eyes remain opened as he used the Mind Body Switch Technique. With that, he was in her mind, but that's what she wanted. Her chakra flared up before he could take control. It wrapped around his conscious form, yanking him away from her motor control center. The man screamed when the energy seared him, as if it burned away a piece of his soul. Her chakra differed from the last time he saw it. It was brighter, more vibrant, and Chiisai had no trouble controlling it. Now was the time to change tactics.

Before she could speak, Fu struggled to say, "Kakashi's dying. Can you hear him?"

Though she was inside her body, her senses were cut off. Fear gripping her, Chiisai concentrated her chakra and threw him out of her mind. Now back in reality, she could indeed hear Kakashi. She broke away from Fu and stumbled towards him, desperate to be at his side. However, after one step Danzo's man had her by the wrist. He yanked her to him in one smooth motion, forcing her to see his face. Chiisai squeezed her eyes shut though, refusing to let him back in.

Fu gripped her chin. "Look at me."

She refused to reply. The Yamanaka dropped his hand, though his presence still smothered her. A choking noise entered her ears. Kakashi's gurgled cries continued to slam into her like shurikens, tearing into her heart one after the other. Chiisai struggled against her attacker, though she knew it was pointless. She needed to get into his mind. But before she could, he said, "If you don't want him to suffer, I suggest you open your eyes."

Chiisai, without coming up with a better plan, yielded. Fu stared down at her without emotion, the true face of someone in ROOT. He opened his mouth and said, "If you use your powers against me, Kakashi will die. Do you understand?" Fu knew too well how easy it was for her to do such a thing, for she had done it several times before when he was sent to spy.

Tears brimmed Chiisai's eyes as she nodded. Kakashi's voice lessened at that moment, but she still felt his pain, as if it were piercing her own body. She took a deep breath, attempting to reign in the anguish bursting inside, at knowing Kakashi was in agony.

"Good." Fu's hands formed the proper signs before he ordered, "Now, look at me."

And she did.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Kakashi's struggled to open his eyes. Why did he feel like he had been through an intense battle? Last time he remembered, he had been with Chiisai…And unable to protect her.

The memory of the intruder's mysterious jutsu came to him then, sending chills down his spine. Kakashi knew over a thousand jutsus, but none of them came close to the one he experienced today. What kind of technique could inflict such torture on its victim? The only jutsu worse than that was Itachi's Nightmare Realm, but this man wasn't Itachi. Kakashi's Sharingan had caught the man's chakra signature, but it was one he had never seen before.

Kakashi blinked a few times to clear his vision. He assessed his surroundings, noting the familiar hospital ceiling. So, someone had rescued him. But what of Chiisai?

The question was soon answered. His attention drew to the warmth pressed to his side and a hand holding his. With some effort, Kakashi turned his head to the right. Tears cascaded down Chiisai's face and her eyes widened when she saw him.

Kakashi squeezed her hand and said, "You real?"

Chiisai threw her arms around him as relief overtook her. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing her against him as she cried into his shoulder. Kakashi whispered, "I can't believe you're crying over me, Small Tiger. I'm honored."

"You've been out for three hours," she sniffed. "I thought you weren't going to wake up."

"I say that about you all the time."

"That's not funny, Farm Boy."

He tried to smile at her comeback, but it faltered as his thoughts continued to roam. Chiisai pulled away when Kakashi forced himself into a sitting position. He cringed when a phantom of pain tore through him. Chiisai laid a hand on his shoulder to steady him. He glanced at her, finally noticing she was fully clothed. Even her limbs were wrapped. With a sigh, he breathed, "It looks like we've switched roles. You're usually the injured one."

Chiisai didn't correct him. What happened to him was far more deadly than a simple injury. "How do you feel?"

"I'm alive, so I can't complain. However, I'd feel much better if you explained what happened."

His first sentence had her swallowing a cringe. She already prepared herself to tell him the lies fabricated to protect him, though she hated it. "He used some sort of jutsu on you. It…Hurt you. I got into his mind to stop him but I couldn't concentrate. He broke my hold and escaped. The jutsu stopped, but you…You wouldn't wake up." His body had shaken for another minute as an after effect, and Chiisai hadn't been able to wake him up even with her abilities. "Then the real guard came and we were transported here."

He raised an eyebrow and replied, "Chiisai, I doubt you fell asleep in such a short time." Her powers would only work if she were asleep.

Kakashi's eye widened when she suddenly fell forward. He caught her, fear washing through him as she lay limp in his arms. He went to shake her, to say her name, but then something unexpected happened. Her familiar chakra swept across the back of his mind like a warm breeze, helping to soothe him. The sound of her voice echoed in his head and said, _I told you I'm a lot stronger now, Farm Boy._

Her presence vanished from him as she returned to her body. Kakashi, though shocked as he was, helped her sit back up while she struggled into consciousness. What she just did seemed impossible to Kakashi. Having access to the dream world at will had never been done before and he had assumed it to be impossible. But Chiisai had the habit of making the impossible possible.

After a few moments, she muttered, "A part of my mind is a portal into the dream world, which is linked to everyone else. All I have to do is summon it up with my chakra and detach my consciousness from my body."

Kakashi wound a finger around a strand of her hair, debating whether to be impressed or concerned...Or both. This time, she was the one protecting him, and he was utterly useless. His heart sunk at the realization, knowing when it came down to it…He wouldn't be able to protect her, no matter how much he wanted to. But that wouldn't stop him from trying.

Kakashi shook himself out of his thoughts and asked, "How long have you been able to do this?"

"I've always been able to," Chiisai said. "I just didn't know until a few weeks ago." For Chiisai, it had taken an intense brainstorming session with Itachi to even decipher how her powers worked. It was easy to assume that her conscious got sucked into the dream world every time she fell asleep. But to harness that information into something more constructed had taken some time, and a lot of mistakes. "I don't like using it…but it has its advantages." If she had used it first thing on Fu, she might have been able to stop him.

Kakashi's voice brought her back to the present. "Whoever was after you will return. And the jutsu he used…I've never seen anything like it. Did you recognize him?"

"No," she lied, "he broke my hold too quick."

Her expression worried him. The jonin brushed her hair back and in a softer tone, asked, "Did he hurt you?"

"No," she said. However, Fu's threat continued to linger in her mind. Itachi was right, Danzo was after her as soon as she returned, and unfortunately she hadn't been prepared for his schemes. Now it would cost her.

Kakashi pressed his masked lips to her forehead and said, "Your weakness isn't just your physical state but me as well. Danzo and anyone else will use us as a weakness against each other." Kakashi interlaced his fingers with hers, making sure she paid attention. "But whenever the ninja uses that jutsu on me again, I don't want you to give in to his demands. You are far more important than I am. I can handle pain."

Chiisai whispered, "…I'm not a ninja, Kakashi. I don't have that type of strength. When I saw you writhing on the ground…I now understand what you must feel like during my seizures."

There was a moment of silence. He didn't deny what she was feeling. Watching her go through those convulsions, to hear those strangled noises as her body shook, it hurt like hell watching helplessly each time it happened. If only their lives weren't so complicated…

Kakashi slapped his free hand on his thigh, startling the librarian. "I'm hungry. You want something to eat?"

She frowned at his bright eye but replied, "Yeah, actually. But Lady Tsunade will be back in a bit." Chiisai stopped as she watched Kakashi stand. "What are you doing?"

Kakashi tested his strength, and once finding it acceptable, shrugged on his vest that previously lay on the chair. It was becoming easier to move now, and the more movement deadened the ache. Now it only felt like a hangover. "We're going to Ichiraku's."

Raising an eyebrow, she replied, "I don't understand."

He slipped his feet into his shoes and replied, "What's to understand? I'm taking my girlfriend out to eat. We haven't even celebrated your arrival."

She crawled toward the edge of the bed as she watched Kakashi. "You don't have your wallet," she said. "I don't have my wallet. Plus, there are people after us. And then there's the multiple guards posted outside."

He placed a hand on his chin and muttered, "I'll have to carry you out the window then. Or should I carry you the whole way?" He glanced back at her for an answer. It was safe to say that their attacker wouldn't be coming back today, and Danzo had already made his threat last night. For the rest of the day, no one would be after them (he hoped).

Chiisai raked a hand through her hair. Farm Boy was up to something, or maybe he was just trying to take her mind off of everything. That filled her with even more guilt. His eye watched her with curiosity, knowing full well she wouldn't refuse. Finally, she huffed, "You don't make sense."

Kakashi shrugged, "Do I ever make sense?"

"Yes," she emphasized, "yes you do. You're supposed to be the sensible one of the two of us! I'm the irrational one!"

"Well," he mused, "it looks like we really are switching roles for the day, Small Tiger." He extended his hand to her, helping her up. Reluctantly, Chiisai slipped on her borrowed sandals. The special wrappings on her legs helped to stabilize her balance. However, Kakashi already had her in his arms, displaying how physically recovered he was.

With one hand, Kakashi slid open the window. Sunlight shined on them as Chiisai asked, "But how are we going to pay?"

His foot stepped on the window seal, stretching his calf and readying himself for the jump. Looking down at her, he smiled, "Let me worry about that, Small Tiger."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Lady Tsunade and Shizune marched through the hospital. The Hokage muttered, "I didn't think she would cause this much chaos in such a short time. What have you found on the technique used against Kakashi?"

Shizune sifted through the documents in her hands as they turned down a hall. "We've eliminated the seal theory, since Kakashi has none on his body," she stated. Her eyes searched the paper before she added, "It's likely to be a hiden technique, though it's still a jutsu unheard of. Apparently none of the jutsus listed in our texts come close to this one, not even the forbidden ones."

"Has the village barrier code been changed?"

"Hai," she nodded.

"Good. I want a list of everyone who's arrived in the village in the last twenty-four hours. We'll need Kakashi's report as well." Her footsteps pounded the ground as her frustration rose. Would Danzo have gone this far in broad daylight? No, he was more tactful. Or was the intruder the man who stole Chiisai from the recovery team? "Damn, I don't have time for this. How can such a small woman cause such a big problem?"

The guards stepped aside to let them pass. Shizune opened the door for the Hokage, but Lady Tsunade came to a halt at the doorway and released a groan.

The sheets were pulled back, the clothes gone, and the window was wide open.

Kakashi and Chiisai had escaped.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Chiisai gaped down at Kakashi's empty bowl, though she shouldn't be surprised. "I still don't understand how you eat so fast."

"It's a divine gift," he replied. "How's your meal?"

"The best I've had in a while." She swirled her chopsticks around the noodles as the smell of ramen filled the air. It felt nice to be back now, and she found herself to be comfortable out in public, as long as she was with Kakashi. Finally, something normal was happening. Chiisai added, "Granny Cat's cooking is about as bland as yours, you know."

"Funny."

After swallowing, she mumbled, "Did everyone think I was dead? Everyone just stared at me like I was a ghost."

"Probably. Be glad for the quiet we have," he sighed. "It won't last long."

Eating another mouthful of deliciousness, Chiisai said, "Thank you…By the way."

Kakashi smiled and patted her on the head like a dog. She grimaced, causing him to smile even more. "You're welcome." His eye softened as he watched her. Her shoulders were still tense, but the rest of her managed to relax. Chiisai took another bite and gestured with her chopsticks. "But I still don't know who's going to pay for this. We should have stopped by the apartment."

"Our home is currently a crime scene, unfortunately." He propped his elbow on the counter and rested his head on his hand. He didn't want to think about how much it would cost to fix the window Danzo's men burst through. His eye caught movement in the distance as he said, "Our meal ticket has finally arrived."

Chiisai followed his gaze and yelped at the person heading their way. The bowl tumbled out of her grip but Kakashi caught it. His girlfriend, in a shocked tone, stuttered, "That…That's what you're betting on? She's going to kill us, Farm Boy! You've brought us to our deaths!"

Lady Tsunade stormed into Ichiraku's with Shizune trailing behind. Fire burned in the Hokage's eyes as she accusingly pointed a finger at the two. "What the hell are you two doing here?!"

"We were hungry," Kakashi replied. God, he really must be irrational to have done this. Never had he voluntarily evoked the Hokage's anger before. He usually was the one scolding others at such actions. Her fury was known throughout the land, and he invited it willingly. Love really did make one do crazy things…

The blonde woman pointed down the street and yelled, "Dammit, I order you to return to the hospital now! Do you not realize the situation you two are in?"

Shizune cringed at her superior's harsh tone. They were causing a scene that even drew people out of the market. Kakashi was the only one seemingly unaffected, and he simply shrugged, "We can't do that."

"Did you just sass me, Hatake Kakashi? Do you want to die?!"

"No," he replied, "I would never do that. You see, we don't have money to pay for the meal. Therefore, we can't leave."

Her hands dug into her hair as she released another furious groan. If she weren't so angry she may find Kakashi's actions amusing, especially since he was doing this for Chiisai.

Teuchi hastily stepped out. The Hokage's rage bombarded him like a tsunami, even if she was silent. However, he, among probably everyone else in the village, heard the conversation. Kakashi was never one to not pay, but seeing as his girlfriend was finally back meant it was a special occasion. So, being the man that he was, the owner kindly said, "It's on the house for today."

Kakashi gave Chiisai an I-told-you- so look, causing her to break out in a grin. She wasn't sure why she thought his expression to be so funny, but nevertheless the idiotic situation had her cracking an even wider grin. Her shoulders began to shake, and before she knew it Chiisai found herself laughing. For a moment, her troubles and guilt were completely stamped out.

Her laughter only made Lady Tsunade angrier, though she didn't accuse the woman. Instead, she blamed the jonin for the predicament.

And though Lady Tsunade yelled and cursed Kakashi for his foolishness, even dragging him by the ear, a smile remained planted on his face. Because after everything that happened, he managed to make Karasu Chiisai laugh, and for a good long while. He never thought he would find himself in this situation, especially one he himself created. But hearing the woman he loved break out into laughter (because of him) felt surprisingly amazing…And it reminded him of someone else.

_Obito, _he thought, _I now understand why you acted so foolish. Though I hated your stupid excuses and actions, it made Rin laugh. I thought us completely different at the time…It turns out we weren't so different after all._

END

_Felt the need to end on a lighter note, since the first part had such foreboding. Are these chapters getting too long for anyone? Just curious if I need to adjust. Also, I don't want to confuse or bore anyone either, so hopefully everything's turning out fine._

_gaabi: Here's one without a cliffhanger :)_


	11. A Truce, a Flashback, and a Gedo Statue

"I've got to hand it to you. What you did yesterday was foolish, but it yielded amazing results."

Kakashi glanced at Lady Tsunade, who leaned against the doorframe. "Hmm?"

She rolled her eyes at his innocent expression. "Don't 'hmm' me. Thanks to what you pulled off at Ichiraku's, everyone knows Chiisai's back. The council can't turn her over to Danzo without causing uproar from the villagers." She jutted a thumb to the door and added, "The front desk have their hands full with people wanting to see her."

Kakashi nodded and returned his gaze to Chiisai, who slept next to him. The visitors outside meant she would be bombarded with attention she didn't want, but it was far better than her being with Danzo for the rest of her life. Of course, right now they were under "house arrest," so only a select few would be able to visit. But the inconceivable amount of flowers decorating the room blinded him whenever he turned his attention to Lady Tsunade. Yamanaka Flowers were out of stock by now, and he was thankful. The fragrances consuming the air also consumed his sense of smell.

"Kakashi, there's something else." The Hokage closed her eyes before proceeding, "The council and I were forced to come to a truce. We keep Chiisai as long as Danzo interrogates her…In any way he wishes to."

"What did you say?!"

"Even a Hokage has limits," she replied. Her shoes clicked against the floor as she walked to the sleeping woman. One of Chiisai's wrapped toes twitched, so a spasm of pain would be sure to follow and force her awake. "Chiisai will also be required to meet with the council beforehand. It was the best I could do given the circumstances."

It was better than what he originally imagined. Chiisai could pull through the meeting with ease, but an interrogation provided by Danzo wasn't good. And knowing Danzo, he would never allow Kakashi or Tsunade to view it. His thoughts seemed to transfer to Chiisai, because in the next moment her body shuddered, her eyebrows furrowing with pain. Kakashi stroked her cheek and asked, "…How long until the interrogation?"

Tsunade summoned her chakra. Her hands glowed as she placed them over Chiisai's legs, allowing more circulation to flow. "Two days," she said. "I managed to prolong it in order to assess her injuries."

Chiisai relaxed as the jutsu took effect. Kakashi shook his head and muttered, "Danzo's been toying with us since the first day she awoke from comatose." Danzo would treat Chiisai as he had once treated Tenzo, before Kakashi rescued him all those years ago. The ROOT leader would use her abilities in every way possible if he ever found leverage. Of course, Chiisai would never voluntarily agree to such a thing…Could Danzo be the one behind…?

"He and the council will handle Chiisai the same way they handled Naruto." Grimacing at the thought, Tsunade said, "To them, she is simply a weapon."

His eye watched on as the Hokage continued to ease Chiisai's pain. "Have you found our most recent attacker?"

"No," she sighed. Seeing that was all she could do, the Hokage deactivated the jutsu. The pain Chiisai experienced meant her nerves weren't all the way destroyed, which was good. However, she would probably live in pain for the rest of her life. Lady Tsunade shook her head at the thought and met Kakashi's eye. "I actually came to have Tomo snoop around for information. I thought she was back."

"I sent her with Pakkun and Gai to get some things from the apartment." He paused for a moment before saying, "Tomo confirmed that Chiisai spoke the truth. She was with Nekobaa all this time."

"Good." Her brown eyes wandered to the librarian. Tsunade was gambling on Chiisai…And usually she was on the losing side. "What do you think she's doing in the dream world?"

Kakashi gazed down at Chiisai's now peaceful face. "I ask that myself sometimes."

Even with just one eye exposed, Lady Tsunade saw the emotions pouring out. The blonde gave him a soft smile, though it filled her with memories of a past she could never forget. "I'm happy that you finally found someone," she said. "…I'm just sorry it had to be so difficult for you both."

"She deserves so much more," Kakashi breathed. "…She deserves a normal life."

"As long as her powers remain active, Chiisai will never have a normal life- with or without you." Kakashi, though caring as he might be, wasn't going to marinate in his guilt anymore. He should have put that behind him years ago. The man was a shadow of a ghost before Team Seven, and now with Chiisai in his life he finally expressed the emotions of a normal human being. Tsunade wasn't going to let him even think of giving her up for the sake of her normality, especially when Chiisai loved him just as much. "That is something you must accept, Kakashi."

He understood, though his heart disagreed. "Now that Chiisai remembers, she should know the seal. She would never agree to undergo that again, though…Would she."

"Probably not."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Chiisai's first thought in her current situation was she should have been resealed when she was with Itachi. He was right, anyway. When she discovered her past, she ended up almost killing everyone around her. Maybe it would have been best if Itachi just killed her then.

That way this would have been avoided all along, and Kakashi would be out of harm's way.

Luckily, in the dream world, Chiisai was finding her own answer to change that. One shadow clone currently sat observing the dream tree, always monitoring the sleeping visions flickering in and out of the realm. Two more shadow clones also gathered information: one through Itachi, the other through a forced meeting with Fu.

The real Chiisai, or rather her true conscious, stood amidst the silence contained in the deepest layer of the dream world. Chiisai originally thought the dimension only displayed dreams of the present. Of course, once she was able to break into minds of those awake, the theory proved false. And, with a little more digging, she discovered that the dream world contained not only dreams of the present, but dreams of the past.

And every single one of them lay in this layer. Every dream, ones Chiisai had and had not seen, mingled together in this forgotten place. Millions upon millions, those of the dead and the living, spanned across an infinite dull blue atmosphere, waiting inside pale orbs.

That was one of the reasons Chiisai enjoyed meditating here. Within this layer awaited the past dreams of those she loved. During her rehabilitation, when she thought everything was too much for her, she would summon up Shisui's dreams. Though often times it filled her with a sharp heartache, it also kept her determined. It was the memory of him that kept her going then. He would want her to keep fighting, to keeping living in a world he sacrificed his life for. Shisui would have wanted her to move on. That had once been her mantra.

She had moved on, though it had taken time. Kakashi was the one to make that happen. He was the reason she never gave up, the reason she forced herself to eat, to suffer through another round of frostbite treatment. Some of her skin blistered, others hardened to black or literally rotted off of her, and the smell of her own flesh had her vomiting for days. But she survived it all, pushing through it with the knowledge that the man she loved was in pain because of her.

And looking through his dreams the last few months made her realize how much he loved her. There were nightmares of finding her dead, of her leaving him, sometimes a combined picture of her and Rin. There were dreams of them simply eating dinner together and arguing about the tip. Other times, it was simple flashes of her: a hand raking through brown hair, dark eyes blinking in surprise before glaring, the silhouette of her walking…

Her time away placed him in an emotional hell. But he endured it, just like he had with everything else. Because that was the way of a shinobi. Now that she was back, he would do everything in his power to protect and fight for her, because that's exactly what a shinobi did.

But he wouldn't be able to do that this time. It was Chiisai's turn to protect him.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Kakashi glanced down from the newspaper when he felt her move beside him. Curious, he waited until she opened her eyes.

"Good afternoon, Small Tiger."

She turned her head to face him, or rather, face his hip. With a grimace, Chiisai sat up beside Kakashi and smoothed the wrinkles out of her borrowed clothes. "What the…" She blinked several times. "What's with all the flowers?"

He returned his gaze to the article ("A Mysterious Woman With A Mysterious Past: Karasu Chiisai, The Lover of Hatake Kakashi"). "They're from the villagers."

Vases and bouquets covered the nightstand, the chairs, the floor, every kind of flower occupied the room. The fragrant, somewhat overwhelming smells hit her at once, causing her to erupt in a cough. Directing her attention to Kakashi, she breathed, "Why?"

He shrugged and replied, "Word got around."

She tried to glimpse what he was reading, but he moved it out of reach. "But why all the sentiments?" Chiisai frowned, "They don't know me."

His eye met hers. Sighing, Kakashi began flattening her unruly hair as he said, "Technically, everyone knows you." He patted her on the head, causing her to roll her eyes. He smiled, "You became a celebrity once we started dating. Would you like to hear some of the rumors? They're quite entertaining." The jonin waited for an answer, but he never got one. Frowning, Kakashi nudged her shoulder. "Yo."

Her eyes shut as she took in a ragged breath. A flashback hurled itself to her and she tried to block it out. But they resonated in her head like the shrill ring of bells. His lavender eyes, so cold and heartless, forcing her to look at him. The sound of cloth ripping, of bones breaking, of her grunts of pain- it all came back in a whirlwind, causing her to let out a strangled cry. The pain burst in her ribs and further down. Hands wound around her wrist, but she couldn't move anyway. The ropes had her bound in the snow, and he lifted her legs up, putting pressure-

"Chiisai, look at me!" Kakashi held her as gently as he could, but she continued to fight him. "It's alright, you're safe!"

She refused to look at him, to give in. Fear took over, which then was replaced by panic. It was then, during her pointless struggle, that her chakra flared up, hell bent on keeping her safe. It hit a wall, or more precisely, the closed portal into the dream world. With nowhere else to go, it surged through her circulatory system, shocking her body and waking her from the nightmare within her mind.

Kakashi caught her when she suddenly went limp. His eye widened, but then her body jerked back to life. She no longer fought him, but the confusion sat in her eyes. Kakashi dropped his head and whispered, "Here, take a deep breath. Look at me."

Wet with tears, Chiisai shook her head and recoiled from his touch. However, she did inhale deeply, placing a hand on her stomach as she exhaled. Inhale. Hold. Exhale.

Inhale. Hold. Exhale.

"Chiisai."

She nodded though she didn't look at him. It had been so out of the blue until she realized it. Still trembling, Chiisai raised her arm and pointed to the opposite wall. He followed the direction and cursed himself for not seeing it. Across the room sat a vase of flowers.

Lavenders. The color of Hitoshi's eyes.

Kakashi picked up the blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders. Then, he immediately went for the flowers. He plucked out every stray lavender and every purple flora in the room before ordering a guard to dispose of them. The jonin turned back to Chiisai. The blanket sat tight around her shoulders as she forced herself to breathe. Her head sat in between her knees, forcing herself to keep calm.

Inhale. Hold. Exhale.

She heard him sink down in the bed with her, his presence close, but no close enough for contact. After another breath, Chiisai finally opened her eyes to see Kakashi staring at her. She whispered, "…How long...How long did it take to get over your flashbacks?"

"…They may decrease in time, but they never truly go away." He paused for a moment as the memories flooded him. He accepted it now, though if still filled him with pain. Kakashi added, "...You just learn to manage it."

Chiisai silently nodded and pulled the blanket off of her. He watched as she stood on her feet, slowly heading to the bathroom. He didn't follow or help, but instead gave her space.

She rested her fingers on the handle, grateful to have her body working. Head pressed against the door, Chiisai said, "Kakashi…I…"

"It's alright," he replied. He knew too well the effects of post-traumatic stress.

It wasn't though, but she didn't say it. Instead, she walked into the bathroom, waiting until the door was closed to let the tears fall again.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The masked man stood in front of the Gedo Statue alongside another Akatsuki member: Pain. "Madara, your summoning is a surprise."

"I need the statue."

Pain nodded and summoned the husk. Shackles gripped its wrists and ankles, its eyes blindfolded in the darkness. It was the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. A white Zetsu now stood next to Madara, the one he placed the woman's chakra in. The statue naturally absorbed chakra, but the process for a biju's was different. However, if the woman did possess some sort of tailed-beast energy, the statue would hopefully react.

Madara gestured to the Zetsu, who then proceeded toward it. Pain watched as the clone stopped in front of the ten–tail's husk. Madara brought his hands together, concentrating his chakra in order to activate the statue. The ground shook as the massive husk dropped its jaw, allowing a sliver of purple chakra to escape. It took the form of a dragon, whose mouth opened as if to eat the white Zetsu whole.

The dragon sizzled through the air as it swept over the clone. It absorbed the chakra and pulled it into the husk in one smooth motion. The victim fell forward, causing dust to rise.

They waited.

It was silent for a minute as the two stared at the Gedo Statue. It was a long shot, but having an extra boost of strong chakra- especially that of a tailed-beast- would speed things up.

But then the earth shook. The statue's mouth opened without any jutsu, but still the two ninjas gazed calmly on. The purple dragon reappeared, regurgitating the chakra and spitting it back to the white Zetsu. It then retreated, causing the Gedo Statue's jaw to clamp shut.

Silence.

The White Zetsu staggered back to its feet, blinking in surprise. Madara frowned and stated, "It rejected it."

Pain cocked his head to his superior, merely observing, "The result is the opposite of what you intended."

He nodded. "That was all I needed. You are dismissed." Though this was a curious phenomenon, the girl was now useless to him.

The shinobi complied. He glanced one last time at White Zetsu, memorizing the chakra signature. Then, he and the statue disappeared. Madara turned away, lost in his thoughts. The Statue must have a reason for rejecting the woman's chakra, but nothing came to mind. It concerned him that such a thing existed, nevertheless. Why did it not want her chakra?

But it didn't matter. Everything would proceed as planned without the girl. However, he made a mental note to have Black and White Zetsu continue to watch her.

It was a curious phenomenon indeed.

END

_Hope everyone's summer is going well! Do you want the next chapter to have fluff or plot or both? Can't believe we're already on chapter eleven!_


	12. The Silver Lining

"Chiisai!" Might Gai dropped the bag and sprinted towards her, overjoyed at finally seeing her awake.

"Hey," she smiled, "it's nice to-"

Kakashi stopped Gai before he enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug. The ecstatic man blinked in surprise as his rival said, "Ease up on the embrace. She's still injured."

He opened his mouth, closed it, and then nodded. "I shall be as gentle as a dove!"

"Really," Chiisai retorted, "I think I can handle a hug, Kakashi." Gai's overpowering sense of youth was exactly what she needed after her flashback a few hours ago.

"Don't worry, I will make sure to be careful!" Gai, with painstaking determination, gradually wrapped his arms around her, making sure there was little pressure on her skin. Kakashi slapped his forehead at the deliberate slow motion his friend acted out, and Chiisai merely frowned as Gai eventually enveloped her in a hug. Still tense, Chiisai hastily patted him on the back. Tears streamed down his eyes as he exclaimed, "Oh, it's so great to have you here, Chiisai! Kakashi's been so melancholy, it even affected his revolutionary attitude!" The faster he talked the harder he squeezed her. "And everyone was so upset when they heard what happened! I'm so happy you're alright! It brings tears in my eyes!" Chiisai lost her breath from the pressure of his hug, but thankfully Gai got distracted. "Wait, I have something for you!" He pulled away, grinned, and rushed over to the bag he dropped earlier. "I made it myself!"

Tomo and Pakkun trotted in, passing Gai as they headed for Chiisai. Both bypassed Kakashi and jumped on the mattress, eager to see her. Chiisai asked, "Where have you all been?"

The ninneko rubbed against her wrapped hand before saying, "With Gai. We brought back some of your and Kakashi's things."

"I'm glad you're back," Pakkun said. "Kakashi hasn't been himself since you've been gone."

Gai pushed Kakashi out of the way and exclaimed, "You're exactly right! Without his spirited flower he was even worse than he normally is! He rejected all of my challenges! And then he ended up in the hospital-"

Kakashi slapped him hard on the back and cheerfully interrupted, "How about we quit talking about me, hmm?"

Chiisai frowned at Kakashi and said, "You ended up in the hospital? Why?"

"It was nothing," he replied. "Gai, what did you bring?"

"Oh, here!" Gai thrust a box out in Chiisai's hands. "I made some of my famous curry for you! I even made faces on the rice balls!"

She smiled and thanked him. A grin spread across Gai's face, thrilled to have her happy. He plopped down on the bed, almost squashing Pakkun if he hadn't moved in time. "Now," he said, "how are you doing?"

"Don't worry, Gai. I'm alright." Chiisai gave another polite smile as she tried to pry the lid to the bento box open. Her fingers trembled, unable to curl all the way around it. Seeing her distress, the man grabbed the container and shouted, "This is a job for the Green Beast!" He popped the lid open, pulling the chopsticks out of the side. "See the faces? There's you, Kakashi- see the red eye? And there's me! That's supposed to be Tomo. Now, open wide!" Chiisai parted her lips to decline his offer, but he only shoved food in her mouth.

Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "You know, you're feeding _my girlfriend_."

"But you've got to spend more time with her," he whined. "This is the only bonding time we'll get! I have a mission tomorrow!"

He scoffed, "What kind of bonding time is feeding her?"

"Kakashi," Tomo mused, "do you want to feed her?"

"Actually, yes." He sat down on the other side of Chiisai, but she gripped the box to stop him. She made eye contact with each of them and said, "Thank you all for your concern, but I can feed myself."

Kakashi crossed his arms and challenged, "Prove it then, Small Tiger. Let's see."

Gai scolded, "What a way to treat your girlfriend! That's not youth-like at all!"

He reached for the box, not even hearing his friend. "Just let me feed her."

"I think he might be jealous," Pakkun said.

Kakashi sighed and stated, "No, I just think that as her boyfriend, I should be the one to do it." He needed to be of some use to Chiisai. And Gai shouldn't be the one feeding his girlfriend anyway.

"I made the curry!"

"I don't care."

Tomo nodded, "He's jealous."

Chiisai tilted her head as she watched her boyfriend. "Are you jealous? Because that's sort of cute."

"I'm an elite shinobi of the Leaf Village. I am not cute."

"Well," she teased, "Mr. 'Elite Shinobi of the Leaf Village,' you're very cute right now."

"You two make such an adorable couple!" Tears sprang from Gai's eyes as he shouted, "Such love, such youth!"

Kakashi only grumbled, "Oi, Gai. Hand over the chopsticks." He reached for them, but Gai only threatened him with them. The Green Beast shot back, "You want to make this a challenge?!"

Chiisai shouted, "Just let me feed myself!" If only she could curl her hands into fists and knock the sense back into the two.

"Pfft, you can't even hold the chopsticks," her boyfriend rebuffed.

Gai, astounded by his condescending tone, dropped his fist on the top of Kakashi's head and said, "Stop treating her like one of your students! She a woman!"

"A stubborn woman."

"Hey," she said, "I heard that!"

"I'm glad your ears work," Kakashi muttered.

Chiisai glared at him and replied, "I wish your mouth wouldn't!"

"...What happened to all of the adorableness?"

"Just give me the chopsticks."

"No! It's my curry, I get to feed her!"

"How are you going to feed her without the food then?"

"Give that back!"

"Guys, stop- Augh!"

"…MY CURRY!"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Kakashi shook his head and finished with, "…And that's why she's angry with me." He glanced over at Chiisai, who was still attempting to get the dark stain off her shirt. She must not be that mad if she were sitting next to him, but her flat-out ignoring him did say something.

Lady Tsunade rubbed her temples, took a deep breath, and said, "Enough. The reason I'm here is to go over the situation with Chiisai."

The brunette cocked her head toward the Hokage without once glancing at Kakashi. "That bad, is it?"

"Not nearly as bad as it could have been," she replied. "The Council wanted to give you to Danzo."

Chiisai redirected her gaze back to her soaked shirt and muttered, "Well, I'm glad they changed their minds."

"Thank Kakashi for that."

He smiled and poked Chiisai, who only sighed, "I guess I can't be mad at you anymore."

Kakashi patted her on the head. "You're welcome."

Lady Tsunade walked further into the room with Shizune trailing behind. Her brown eyes pierced Chiisai's black ones as she said, "The Council requested to have a meeting with you before you are interrogated by Danzo…Part of our truce is to allow Danzo to question you in any way he wishes." The blonde continued to watch her, waiting for a reaction. However, Chiisai only replied with, "Is that it?"

Everyone frowned at her, but she continued to dab at her shirt. Shizune said, "…You took that extremely well."

"Well," she sighed, "I've been through everything else. Why not an interrogation with the creepiest man in Konoha?"

"Chiisai," Kakashi asked, "are you sure you're alright with this?"

She shrugged and replied, "I'm going to have to do it whether I want to or not. Does it matter if I'm alright with it?"

Kakashi put his hand on hers, forcing her to stop and listen. "We're a bit concerned…mainly for you."

The woman glanced up at him before looking at Tsunade and Shizune. They didn't need to say anything for her to see it in their eyes. Everyone was worried about her, and though they meant well, it started to eat at her. Chiisai reassured, "It's just the flashbacks that get me. Besides that I'm fine." Her shoulders straightened at remembering something, and she quickly reached over to the nightstand. She avoided two vases and picked up two sheets of paper. One she gave to the Hokage. The other she dropped on Kakashi's lap. "And here."

Shizune peeked over Lady Tsunade's shoulder. Her eyes widened at the ink covering the page. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Hai," she nodded.

Lady Tsunade wasn't convinced. She raised an eyebrow and said, "You're giving it willingly?"

Chiisai ran a hand through her hair and fought to not look at Kakashi. She replied, "I'm tired of being the cause of everything and I'm tired of hurting people. The council will demand it anyway. Plus," she added, "if something happens to me I want someone to have it."

Kakashi narrowed his eye at her last sentence. "I see," he said.

Tonton moved in Shizune's arms, startling her. She glanced up, her eyes falling on the clock. She gasped and said, "Lady Tsunade. The meeting."

She closed her eyes at the reminder. "Ah, dammit." She took another glance at the paper before folding it. Turning away, she said, "We'll continue this discussion later." She and Shizune then left.

Chiisai didn't relax even after they were gone. Still focusing on her shirt, she muttered, "You're going to have to do it."

Kakashi nodded as he took in all of the information. It was a complex sealing technique, and there was little room for errors, especially on a fuinjutsu centered on the mind. If he wasn't careful, he could easily do some damage to her brain. Kakashi frowned, "I'm not sure if my Sharingan is strong enough to control chakra."

She paused. Finally, Chiisai laid the damp cloth on the bed and turned to Kakashi. "Then let's practice now." She tilted her head up and reached for his headband. "Here."

He allowed her to remove the strip of cloth. Then, once they were close enough, he closed the gap and pressed his lips to her. Chiisai's eyes widened as he hands cupped her face, but soon they were closed and she was kissing him back. If only that mask wasn't in the way…

An image flashed behind her eyes, forcing Chiisai to break away. "Kakashi…"

He lifted an eyebrow and whispered, "Was I not supposed to do that?"

She could see the hesitance. But it wasn't his fault; he was only trying to help. So, Chiisai pulled his mask down and tried her best not to show her uncomfortableness. She whispered against his lips and said, "I didn't say that."

Now Kakashi was the one to pull away. His hands remained on her face, his eye watching her. She frowned at such an intense gaze and to break the silence, muttered, "What?"

His fingers brushed her hair back as he said, "Do you love me?"

She couldn't help but blink in surprise. "Of course I love you, idiot. Why do you ask?"

Kakashi smiled, "A few moments ago I was thinking how hard it was for you to say you even liked me. Do you remember?"

"How could I forget?" That was the day he stole a kiss from her on the balcony…and she had returned it without a second thought. He had been so determined that day to for her to confess. On that memory, Chiisai crossed her arms and griped, "And why were you so obsessed with me revealing my feelings to you anyway? I never did that to you."

He flicked the side of her head and replied, "I thought it was obvious."

"What was obvious?"

The jonin sighed, "You're as dull as Naruto sometimes."

"Shuttup."

He sighed again. Surely she knew back then how he felt. After all, he was the one that came up with the mission of them living together. Shit, had he already been that far gone back then? He really must have loved her to even offer sharing his apartment. Well, at least Obito would have been proud.

Chiisai tugged at his shirt and said, "Seriously though, I want to know. What was obvious?"

The sincere curiosity within those night sky eyes made him want to kiss her again. Instead, he replied, "Do you want me to shut up or tell you? You're making this quite difficult, Small Tiger."

"Ugh," she groaned, "never mind." Having enough, the woman shakily stood and rummaged through the bag for another shirt. "You're so annoying sometimes."

He watched her as she turned away from him. Though her fingers sometimes lacked mobility, Chiisai had found a method of changing clothes by slipping her thumbs under the fabric. She did that now. Her spine stretched as she pulled the shirt off, revealing the pale skin underneath. Nekobaa had fed her well enough, because her small curves had finally filled out again. Of course, he had already seen her naked, but then he had been distracted with her new scars. Actually, now that he thought about it, he hadn't questioned how healthy she looked when he first saw her. He had been too focused on everything else. But now there was nothing to distract him. Chiisai didn't even realize the tease she was performing. Of course, her mumbling gripes didn't help to heighten his arousal…

As she tugged a clean shirt on, Kakashi confessed, "I started loving you during the mission…When you saved me from getting trapped inside the dream with Obito and Rin."

She stopped for a second and tried to sort through her memories. "…You mean when you almost killed me?"

He nodded and replied, "I always wanted to see what it would be like to have my team alive…That dream was what I always wanted." Kakashi paused as Chiisai turned back to him. He then went on to say, "After you saved me, I noticed you changed. You said you had stopped wallowing in self-guilt."

"I didn't save you, Farm Boy." Chiisai plopped down beside him and added, "You ended up saving me by not killing me."

True, Kakashi had saved her by killing the fake Obito. But really…"No," he corrected, "you definitely saved me."

Chiisai leaned her head against his shoulder and muttered, "I still don't get it. Why did you like me then of all times?" If anything, she destroyed the dream he always wanted. Wouldn't that cause the opposite effect? This ninja made no sense.

"You really are as dull as Naruto." He shook his head and glanced down at her. When she met his eye he flicked her forehead. With a grimace, she shoved his arm and yelled, "Stop doing that, Farm Boy!"

Ignoring her remark, Kakashi continued, "I saw a lot of my past in you. The things you did… The way you protected the village...I guess I also saw my future in you…Or rather, with you."

"You…Saw your future with me…" It made sense now. Kakashi was the one always looking back at the past, always marinating on his mistakes. For him to look in the future…That was very uncharacteristic of him in a way.

He nodded. "When you were sick with a concussion, I felt like a nanny. You couldn't take care of yourself, you kept sneezing on me, and you were too skilled in the art of nagging. But after getting to know you, and you knowing about my past and accepting me…By the time the mission was complete I thought, if I ever wanted to spend my life with someone special, you'd be the one."

She smiled and stared up at the ceiling. "I never thought that with you. I guess I fell in love with you without ever realizing it…Until it was too late."

He interlaced his fingers with her, enjoying her just being beside him. "Do you regret it?"

"No…" A laugh escaped her, and she smiled, "I just wish I had acted with more grace. I messed up around you so many times."

"Hm. You did, didn't you."

Chiisai tore her hand from his. "You're not supposed to say that, baka!"

He only smiled, "Remember the time you thought I called you a demon?"

At the memory, Chiisai turned her back to him and groaned, "Ugh, don't remind me." God, that had been embarrassing. All of that drama to discover Kakashi had gotten her a ninneko.

His smile spread into a grin. "It was the day after you grabbed my ass, I believe."

He watched her freeze. Then, she flipped over and slapped his chest with the back of her hand. "Why would you bring that up?! I thought we weren't going to speak of that again?"

Kakashi caught her hand and brought it to his lips. "I rather enjoyed it, Small Tiger."

She rolled her eyes, though she found her anger dissipating. Dammit, the man was too smooth. "It's because you read too much Icha Icha."

They held hands once more, sitting there in silence as they stared up at the ceiling. Finally, after a few minutes, Kakashi said, "We have some good memories, though, eh?"

Chiisai slowly started to say, "…I liked it when we read together…And I always enjoyed the conversations and cuddling." Smiling, she squeezed his hand and said, "It's the little things we did as a couple that I enjoyed the most...Like now." She turned her head to Kakashi, meeting his eye. He smiled and replied, "I couldn't agree more."

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When Lady Tsunade and Shizune finally returned, they cracked the door open to find Chiisai and Kakashi nestled against each other, discussing a book in Kakashi's hand. The Hokage watched them for a moment, and a smile escaped her when Kakashi made Chiisai laugh.

She closed the door and stood in silence. Of course she was glad for them, but that didn't stop a tear from escaping her eye. Cursing her rising emotions, Lady Tsunade turned and walked away, leaving the couple in their precious moment of happiness.

After all, you never knew when moments like that would slip through your fingers…And before you knew it, the memories were the only thing you had left…That, and the blood staining your hands.

The Hokage prayed their story wouldn't end up like hers.

END

_People are still following and faving this?! O.O Thank you so much!_


	13. Author's Note

_Author's Note: So sorry guys, I don't have a chapter for you! I'm finding it rather difficult to balance school, social life (I finally got one of those things), and hobbies, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be posted! I want it to be very welly executed however, so that's also taking more time. I will never abandon this story (unless I get into a coma and/or die)!_

_And now that you know I'm not good at time management, I shall tell you things. The next chapter is the council meeting, and after it is _supposed_ to be the interrogation with Danzo. Also, I have planned 2 lemons for the future, which will be individual chapters (Sex? This story started out so innocent!). Anyway, this is done so that if you wish to skip it (since it is not needed for the plot), you can do that. I'll warn you the chapter before it as well. Never have I written things like that, and I find it extremely uncomfortable...so it should be interesting. I think that's all. If anyone has questions, comments, or just wanna talk, feel free to message me! Thank you guys so much for following and faving and commenting! The Dream Devourer was a shot in the dark, so I'm surprised it's come so far! I mean, it's not really popular but a lot of people like it, so that's something!_

_gaabii: Yay! I'm glad you're back haha I sometimes wonder where everyone went but then I have to humble myself because I got spoiled there for a while XD I hope you still find the story interesting (if you don't tell me so I can adjust)!_


	14. Council Meeting

Chiisai readjusted Kakashi's sleeve and muttered, "I can't believe you're actually on time."

He glanced at the door, which was guarded by several jonin. "I would rather not provoke the wrath of the Hokage or the Council."

Taking a deep breath, Chiisai released his arm and turned to the door. Keeping a level head was essential for this meeting, so swallowing her pride would be necessary. Uncomfortable, but necessary. It was times like this she wished she were more like Kakashi. On that note, she grabbed his hand and tugged him to the entrance.

Kakashi placed his free hand on top of her head and forced her to halt. "Remember what Lady Tsunade said. We want them on our side, so don't do anything too irrational." He tilted her head back so she could look up at him. He leaned down and in response she blew air in his face. He frowned as she said, "I already know they don't like me."

Slightly amused, he released her and replied, "It's probably best that Lady Tsunade isn't here. I don't know if the council could handle both of you at the same time."

"You're still dreading it."

"Like it's the first day with Team 7." Kakashi then steeled himself for the unavoidable and opened the door for Chiisai. They entered to find the council waiting in complete silence.

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"I hope you are doing well, Chiisai. We heard you have been through a great ordeal."

She nodded to Koharu and replied, "I am better, thank you." Her voice took on a slightly harder tone as she continued, "However, I think it best to get straight to the point. You're concerned that I pose a threat to the village. I assure you that I, among everyone else in this room, hold the Leaf's safety as the number one priority."

Homura and Koharu exchanged glances, but it seemed everyone was surprised by Chiisai's response. "Strong words, but I'm afraid that isn't good enough," Homura replied. He adjusted his glasses and said, "You were responsible for the sleeping incident, correct? I believe that needs an explanation."

"It's a rather long and complicated one," Kakashi said evenly. "Lady Tsunade said she gave you my mission report."

Koharu countered, "We want to hear it from her."

Now all eyes were on Chiisai. Taking a deep breath, she began, "My abilities were once used under the watch of the Third Hokage. However, due to personal reasons, it was sealed. Around a year ago I received a concussion, which broke the seal." She paused before continuing, "I did not know it at the time, but someone was sealed inside my mind with the ability. He used it to trap everyone within the dream world. Thanks to Kakashi, I was able to regain control and purge the threat."

"And who was this threat?"

She stared straight ahead, knowing that Kakashi watched her with concern. But thankfully he had faith in her, which helped her maintain a level head. She copied Itachi's demeanor as she replied, "Who he was means nothing. I'm sure there are more pressing matters on your mind."

"...Very well," Homura nodded. "Let's discuss a more recent event then." Turning his attention elsewhere, he began, "Kakashi, the rumors say you rescued Chiisai from Hitoshi, and in order to keep her from Iwagakure, sent her away until it was deemed safe for her to return. What is the truth?"

The jonin closed his eye and said, "I did rescue her from Hitoshi. However, I am afraid the rest is a lie."

Koharu's eyes narrowed at the new information. Frustrated, she muttered, "How can we even trust Lady Tsunade to do her duty when she keeps her own advisors from the truth?"

"That's my fault," Chiisai said. "I put the idea in her mind so no one would come after me." It had been Itachi's idea, used as an extra precaution. Lady Tsunade had been dead set on getting her back (since Chiisai did know every secret of Konoha), even favoring to reveal the whole mess to the council. Obviously Chiisai wasn't going to let that happen.

Kakashi shook his head from the confession and both council members said in unison, "You planted the idea in her mind?"

It was proving difficult to keep the façade of surety and apathy going, especially with them not even seeing her side. But why should they? They had no proof or trust in the good of her abilities, and speaking the truth actually made things worse. "It was for the safety of the village," Chiisai replied. "If you found out what happened, you would have sent a retrieval party. However, if such a thing occurred it would have likely caused the death of many villagers."

The old woman shouted, "This is outrageous! You took control of the leader of this village?!" Tone filled with disgust, she said, "We feared the Hokage might use you, but now it is clear that it is you using the Hokage!"

Kakashi squeezed her hand as she attempted to calmly say, "Please, if you would just listen-"

Homura shook his head and said, "Why should we listen? It's likely you've been planting ideas into our heads this whole time!"

"Councilmen," Kakashi stated, "I understand your distress, but Chiisai's intentions are noble." This meeting would have gone a lot smoother if Chiisai actually had planted ideas in their heads. Even he found the notion tempting.

Koharu's eyes narrowed at the comment. Even Hatake, the best of best, was under this woman's spell. But he did have the Sharingan, and his years of service did give him credibility. However, love seemed to inhibit his rational logic.

Her wrinkly fingers gripped the armchair as she said, "Noble? She's about as noble as nine-tails, not to mention just as dangerous. Who's to say she won't destroy the village, if not from the inside out? She should be sealed just like that monster in Naruto!"

Kakashi easily hypothesized what would happen next, though he hoped that such a thing wouldn't happen. Never did you call Chiisai a monster, or a demon, for that matter.

Chiisai flinched at the word. Her father, her mother, Hitoshi, the council members; they all only saw what they feared. But their fear didn't mean stripping Chiisai of her humanity. She had tried the rational way, but she wasn't Itachi, and neither was she Kakashi.

It was time to start acting like Karasu Chiisai.

Kakashi's eye narrowed as Chiisai slumped against his shoulder. Dammit, why did he always have to be right?

He felt her presence in his mind then. Everyone tensed at the mental invasion, knowing the situation was turning into a battle they couldn't win. Both the advisors gasped as Chiisai's voice echoed inside their skulls.

_You think me a monster? Then let me invite you to the lair of the beast._

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"Lady Hokage!" The ninja burst through the door, his eyes wide with distraught. Shizune jumped at the outburst as Tsunade merely glanced up from a stack of papers.

"What is it?" Please don't be-

"The council meeting…" He shook his head, fearing what would happen later. "They're all unconscious!" The sleeping incident had returned!

She let out a frustrated groan and held her face in her hands. If only she hadn't drunk all of the alcohol stash yesterday. "Damn," she muttered. She shouldn't have let them go in there without her, even though the council had demanded her absence. Surely Chiisai wasn't that unpredictable, but they had been wrong to assume such a thing. They had underestimated her mental strength apparently, and now her advisors were stuck in the dream world. What would they decide now?

"Do not let anyone enter the room," the Hokage ordered. "I will be there shortly."

The man nodded and left. She sighed and turned her head to Shizune. "I knew this was a bad idea when I won that lottery."

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They all stood in the grey expanse of the dream world. Kakashi still shook his head in disbelief as the council members gazed around in awe. But the wonders of the dimension did not appease their anger, and soon they returned to their bitter state.

"How dare you!" Koharu ordered, "Take us back this instant!"

A weapon materialized in Chiisai's hand. "You can get out yourselves." She tossed her a kunai and said, "Just kill yourself and you should return to reality."

Homura, though old with age, snatched up the metal in Koharu's hand and flung it at Chiisai. It buried itself into her abdominal cavity. She gazed down at her bleeding wound and swallowed the laughter rising in her throat. Instead, she yanked the cold metal out and said, "How do you expect to get out by killing me?" She let the kunai dissolve into a butterfly as she continued, "What I said is true. If you want to get out, just kill yourself with a weapon."

The councilman stared at her in shock as the wound instantly healed. None of this made sense. "You're insane!"

With a sigh, Chiisai turned the dull background into a sunny valley. "This is the only way for you to understand," she said. It was a desperate long shot, but a true understanding of each other could be accomplished.

"Kakashi," Koharu yelled, "stop her!"

The jonin watched Chiisai with a bit of hesitance. Obey his superiors or trust his girlfriend? He approached and laid a hand on her shoulder. Placing her hand on top of his, Chiisai whispered, "Just trust me. Please."

"Kakashi!"

He squeezed her shoulder, nodded, and replied, "Make it quick."

Chiisai gave him a soft smile before turning to the council. Neither one appeared pleased by her or Kakashi, and their outrage pierced her like a tanto. "You want to know the extent of my abilities. I'm here to show them to you." Behind her now stood a massive tree that shielded them from the fake Sun.

The two elders gazed up at the orbs dangling from the branches, watching as they flickered in and out, showing different images. No two were alike, and soon they were able to recognize it. Koharu stated, "…These are dreams."

"Hai," she nodded. "I monitor them."

The older man gazed up at the numerous dreams. He couldn't deny the intrigue of it all, and the beauty in it. Surely there were benefits for having such an ability, especially during war. It would be the perfect espionage. But the images flickering within those spheres were from actual people, and they were people he knew. To Homura, it felt like stepping over a line that was beyond privacy. Crossing his arms, he said, "I see the advantages, but an ability like this...You have no right to look in these minds."

"I would love for you to say that to Inoichi, or the entire Yamanaka Clan," Chiisai responded evenly. "I was born with this ability, and I have a right to use it just like every ninja has a right to use ninjutsu."

"They're doing it to protect the village," Koharu replied. "You're doing it for you own gain!"

Her chakra began to show from the anger boiling inside her. Kakashi grazed her arm, placing her back into awareness. Taking a deep breath, Chiisai cleansed away any visible chakra, though her voice spoke with a quiet rage. "So I have personal gain by watching the nightmares of every child, every adult in Konoha? You think I enjoy watching night terrors, of children terrified of monsters? I've stopped countless threats, stopped suicides, and helped thousands of people overcome their fears," Chiisai said. "Not one thing I do here is just for myself." She and the dream world suffered under a mutualistic circumstance. Using her powers benefited everyone and allowed a release of her chakra.

"You have no proof you've did any of that," Koharu said. "For all we know, you-"

The woman had no time to finish. A box appeared around the council members, setting them apart from the rest of the dimension. They banged their fists on the dark walls, but soon they grew quiet. Kakashi's eye narrowed at Chiisai as he warned, "This has gone far enough."

"Here," she sighed. The box expanded until they too were inside. "...You deserve a look too."

Kakashi's intensity disappeared as he saw why Koharu and Homura stood in silence. Around them floated images, and some he recognized. There were so many, yet all could be seen, heard, and felt without any problem. It was as if each vision settled in them like a memory. Yes, a memory…But they weren't just from anyone…

They were Chiisai's memories, her feelings, her fears; all wrapped up in a box within the dream world. Her chakra reached out, touching each person in order to let them not only see, but actually experience the emotions from her past. Wasn't this the original meaning of chakra anyway- to understand one another?

This wasn't something Chiisai liked to do though. Letting people see the inmost parts of her, the parts that went far beyond personal…But that was exactly why she did it, because she did the exact same thing every night to everyone in the dream world. She was born with this ability, and to her it was normal doing it to everyone else. Using her powers all these years, it still didn't feel wrong. It was just like breathing. Yet why did she feel like such a hypocrite?

And even if she showed all three of them her past, she still manipulated several memories to protect the truth of Itachi. So what she revealed to them- working for Hiruzen- the stopping threats, meeting Itachi and Shisui, falling for Shisui- the end she changed. Instead of showing her sealing after the massacre, the lying memory displayed the sealing right after Shisui's death, leaving her out of Itachi's crime.

Chiisai even showed them the most recent kidnapping. And again she tweaked the truth. Yes, she showed a bit of Hitoshi's horrors and her rescue, but once again the confrontation with Itachi was tweaked. Now is appeared as if Itachi rescued her to try to use her powers- and failed. And thanks to his promise with Shisui, he had helped her for a brief moment. That was the only humane thing about him in the new past.

And again, the time of waking up, living with Nekobaa, displaying the pain of recovery, the mental trauma as well- she showed it all but her time with Itachi. But it was necessary, she told herself. Chiisai had to expose her sufferings to make everyone understand how she felt without forcibly putting it in their minds. Why would she go through rehabilitation so quickly? Why else would she suffer through such an extent to return back to the village, within sixty days no less? Why else had she not given up and tried to reason with the Council?

Because she loved Kakashi. She loved the village.

And she was going to protect them both.

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"Ah, dammit," the Hokage muttered. All of them were slumped on the couch and still in the dream world.

About that time two animals snuck through the door. Shizune turned to discover Tonton's mission to be successful. "What has Chiisai done now?" Tori asked. The ninneko trotted to the scene as Lady Tsunade said, "Wake them up- the Council first."

She nodded, hopped on the couch, and extended her claws. Three red lines appeared on the council's hands as she slashed across them. A few seconds later and their eyes fluttered opened.

"What…" Homura blinked as Tori then sliced into Koharu. Both were now awake, though their expressions lacked their usual coldness. The cat then moved towards Kakashi and Chiisai, silent and confused on the current situation.

The couple was forced back into reality as the ninneko tsked, "My human always manages to get herself in trouble."

Chiisai didn't reply. Her eyes were on Kakashi, who didn't meet her gaze. The man stood, pushed past Lady Tsunade, and left the room before anyone could protest.

The librarian took a deep breath as Lady Tsunade began to talk. But Chiisai wasn't listening to her agitated monologue about recklessness and propriety. She didn't even see the council's reaction or Tori's concerned look. There were more personal matters on her mind- the fact that Kakashi had left without a word or a glance her way.

She had shown Kakashi and the Council many things about her past, one being about Hitoshi. And though she left out the most gruesome parts, it didn't stop the knowledge of what had happened. Her emotions during that moment permeated their hearts thanks to her chakra…So Kakashi felt exactly what she had gone through- what he had been unable to stop.

Winning over the council now didn't matter. Without Kakashi, nothing mattered at all.

END

_(And thanks Criala and KunoichiBlade for helping me with this chapter concerning the council)_

_So just because I posted this 6 days after the author's note does not mean I will be consistently posting chapters. Most likely it'll be every two weeks (gosh, I'm never trustworthy with time commitments). And hopefully this chapter wasn't confusing. Sorry for all the dialogue again!_


	15. Terms and Agreement

The faucet squeaked as water rushed over Kakashi's hands. He scrubbed his fingers, trying his best to get rid of the feeling inside him. Why couldn't he get clean? Soap did no good, and even when the water burned his skin the dirt wouldn't wash out. It was as if a piece of him had been forcibly stripped away. Shame, disgust, and anger boiled inside him, refusing to let him forget the pain from Chiisai's memories. It was more than pain though. It left him haunted, and would likely continue to arise when he least expected it.

This was the legacy from Hitoshi's existence. It had burned into Chiisai like a branding iron, except the sizzling memories continued to scorch her mind. And now his.

The shame and dirtiness left over from Chiisai's chakra made it impossible for Kakashi to look at her. Anguish consumed him- it poured out like a river above its banks. And in the end, he still blamed himself for what Chiisai went through.

There were worse things though. Kakashi saved Chiisai before Hitoshi could deliver the final blow. She could have been dead. But with these emotions inside him, he almost wished he were dead, as if he were re-experiencing the day Obito had pushed him out of the way of that falling rock. However, no matter how much he longed to trade places with the ones he loved, it never came to be. In the end, he was the only one left physically unscathed…but the memories felt far worse than any wound that could possibly afflict him.

Kakashi took a shaky breath, attempting to regather his calm reserve. He shouldn't have left the room like that, especially with the Council in there. Chiisai probably thought the worst too. With the shame covering her, it was likely she believed Kakashi's departure to mean he didn't want to be with her.

His now red fingers gripped the handle and shut the water off. How long had he been washing his hands? The numbness of his fingers answered for him. He hurriedly dried his hands and tugged his gloves back on. The outline of the door blurred. Cursing himself, he wiped away the wetness in his eye and forced himself back out in the hallway. Thanks to her chakra, Kakashi understood somewhat of what Chiisai went through…And now he was better equipped at helping her recover. There was no time to dwell on his own guilt- Chiisai needed him now more than ever.

Another thought lurked within him, one that swirled around Chiisai's words. His own thoughts were selfish, but they continued to grow like a tumor in his mind, consuming him as he made his way back to the room.

Chiisai said she stopped countless suicides. She would have been around three or four at the time…but had she known about his father…that he himself would commit the act?

His hand stopped on the door handle. Uneasiness grew inside him, causing him to narrow his brow at the absence of Chiisai's chakra. Kakashi, fearing the worst, turned the knob and strode through the door. _Damn._

"You let her go."

Lady Tsunade and Shizune turned to him, as did Tonton. It seemed the Council had quickly withdrawn, and Chiisai was gone. The Hokage frowned but stopped when she saw the expression in his eye. "The Council planned on having Danzo interrogating her right after the meeting," she said. "Given our agreement, there was nothing I could do."

He ran a hand through his hair. Where would he interrogate her? The ROOT hideout? Danzo was too smart to physically hurt her, but he could easily chip away at her mind with his words…And not to mention the genjutsus he had mastered in his lifetime.

The blonde watched Kakashi as he started back to the door. "If you interfere," Tsunade began, "the deal is off with the Council. And Danzo will get to keep her."

His hand pressed on the door frame as he came to a halt. His skin began to burn as the nerve endings reawakened. The wood creaked under his grip, the frustration inside threatening to take him over. Kakashi took in a deep breath, letting his diaphragm contract. His ribs expanded as he forced himself to think clearly. Exhaling brought him back to a more levelled state of mind like he was preparing for battle.

Kakashi said, "…My abrupt exit had her upset, didn't it."

Lady Tsunade replied, "Do I really need to answer that?"

No, she didn't. Chiisai needed to be focused during the interrogation, and Kakashi had just ruined her chances. Danzo would use her emotional state against her and once he discovered her secrets, Chiisai was as good as his.

A gloom descended upon the room. Even Tonton dropped her head, worrying over the humans and the situation at hand. The air hung heavy with foreboding, and in order to break the silence, Shizune stated, "The Council and you both acted similarly…What did Chiisai show you?"

His hand fell from the door frame as her memories crept up inside him. Voice heavy, Kakashi replied, "She thought by showing her past she would better let them understand her. She used her chakra to help us feel her emotions."

She nodded and muttered, "That would explain their unusual behavior."

"…This is the perfect time for Danzo to strike," Kakashi said. "He wants her ability and will stop at nothing to get it."

"He won't harm her," Tsunade reassured him. "Tomo also followed them. And if he does anything to her mind, your Sharingan will be able to catch it."

He nodded, though the dread didn't lift from his chest. In the end, whether Danzo harmed her or not didn't matter. Danzo could easily convince the council as long as their trust was in him. And their displeasure with Lady Tsunade had them practically in his clutches…Meaning Danzo was going to win either way.

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Chiisai eyed the modest furniture arranging the simple room. The walls were an off-white, and the only decorations were famous pictures. Lots of them actually, meaning he had an interest in something other than ruining people's lives in the name of justice. "…This isn't what I imagined."

"Did you think I would not have a home?"

She returned her gaze to Danzo, who sat opposite of her. Torune and Fu stood on either side of him, both still and silent like statues. She only focused on her surroundings, welcoming the distraction from her present emotional state. Chiisai replied, "I never thought about it." Her fingers drummed on the table as she added, "Also, I wasn't expecting the interrogation to be right after the meeting." Of course, she hadn't expected Kakashi to walk right out of the room and not once glance at her either. She had sifted through that possible scenario, but at the time her heart seemed to faze over it. But now, even if she convinced the council, her heart would have now paid too great a price. The muscle pumping hot blood through her body slowly broke apart at it all. Because even if Kakashi left her (which she understood), she was still helplessly and irrevocably in love with him.

Danzo's gravelly voice drew her out of her thoughts. "Now," he began, "I am sure you understand the circumstance surrounding your predicament."

"I do," she replied. Chiisai clenched her fists, realizing that with each passing second she hated Danzo more and more…Even more than her father. That notion drove her past her heartache, awakening a darkness that hadn't stirred in some time. "You caused Hitoshi to kidnap me in order to test my limits," she said bitterly. That alone was enough to want Danzo dead, and again the darkness within her stirred. "After Kakashi saved me, the Akatsuki showed up. You used that in your favor and had Fu inject Kakashi with a poison while he was unconscious and I was with Itachi." She glared up at the Yamanaka, but he only stared down at her without any visible emotions. "He also looked into my memories in between the time of my power knocking everyone out and the arrival of the recovery team. You then had him kidnap me from Sakura. And even though Itachi stopped him you still have the upper hand." Her voice hardened as she said, "Because you have Kakashi's life dangling on the edge of your fingers. Realistically, the only reason I'm here is to settle the terms of our agreement to keep him safe." Ironically, the Council didn't even matter at this point.

The corner of his lips turned up, showing what she assumed to be a hint of a smile. "Good," he nodded. "Shall we discuss our terms over a cup of genmaicha?"

END

_I'm so sorry guys! It's been so long and this chapter is so short but I had to give you something! Life is taking me away from my hobbies, but I'm not quitting on this at all! Hope everyone's summer is going well and I hope you guys are still interested in this fanfic! If you have any questions or confusions feel free to ask! Until next time!_


	16. One Could Only Hope

She was surprised at how much she kept herself together during those few hours with Danzo. Numbness spread through her mind at what she had just accepted though. But Chiisai had suffered through more difficult times. The slaughter of the Uchiha's was just one example. If she could mentally survive that, then she could survive this as well. Because in order to protect Kakashi, she would _have _to obey Danzo, though every fiber in her being screamed that it was wrong.

And Kakashi would possibly hate her forever…Of course, he was already disgusted by her. Why not some hate to go with it?

However, once the agreement was completed and the Cursed Technique applied, her thoughts changed drastically. Because once she stepped outside of Danzo's home (accompanied by Fu), her eyes immediately locked onto the familiar silhouette of a certain copy ninja.

Kakashi stood at the edge of the property, his path blocked by Torune. So that was why the Aburame had quickly departed from the meeting. The ROOT member turned to face her and Fu, but Chiisai failed to notice. Once her eyes noticed the spiky mess of silver hair, that was all she could see. The guilt and shame screamed for her to look away, to look anywhere but at him. However, confusion controlled her line of vision during that moment, because she had no idea why Kakashi was here.

The two ROOT ninjas disappeared, leaving them alone. The sheer seconds turned to days in her mind, or maybe time had stopped. Nevertheless, she found herself motionless, completely and utterly aware of the person she so desperately wanted to be unaware of. Chiisai felt his gaze settle on her, and as if pulled by an invisible strand, her fearful eyes found his.

She watched transfixed as red spun around his pupil. There was purpose beneath his eyes as he strode to her, not once breaking eye contact. The numbness clouding her mind swiftly departed. A whirlwind of thoughts and emotions overtook her now, but still she faltered at moving, at fleeing from the man who was too repulsed to look at her just hours ago. What was he doing here? Didn't he despise her for what she showed him? Yet there was no disgust on what little face was exposed. If anything, Kakashi seemed concerned.

And that's what confused her most of all.

His shoes fell softly on the smooth rock, and she couldn't help but notice the careless grace in his steps. The simplicity of his movements pulled her in a trance she was powerless to break. This wasn't his normal lazy strides he often carried around the village. She wasn't sure if she could recall a time when he walked like this. And how could such basic motions from someone captivate her? But there was also apprehension nestling itself in the crook of her mind. Because Chiisai had no clue as to why he was making his way towards her with such purpose. For a brief second she fancied the company of Danzo over the unpredictability of Kakashi and his Sharingan.

But then the jonin had his hand in hers and his fingers intertwined with hers. The uneasiness melted away at the physical contact, and she suddenly wanted more of it. This filled her with even more bewilderment, especially when he asked, "I see he didn't use a genjutsu. Did he hurt you?"

Chiisai opened her mouth, but the words felt lost to her. His tone held a sincerity she wasn't prepared for, and nor did she expect such a caring attitude from him. After several seconds, she managed to reply, "I…You…You're holding my hand."

He glanced down at their fingers, but Chiisai made no effort to move away from him. "…Does that upset you?"

"No…yes...I'm…" She took a deep breath and finally said, "I don't understand." She didn't understand because he had hurt her yet his hand on hers was so comforting she found herself desiring more. And if he was so repelled by her hours before why was so caring now?

Suddenly the reality of the situation she had just endured was slowly and steadily building up inside her, making her bones heavy and heart faint. She wanted to be held by Kakashi, even though her shame protested that it was wrong and that she should pull away. After all, what she would have to do in the near future would make him-

But then she saw the world spin, and the image of Kakashi grew fuzzy as if she were about to wake up from a dream. Maybe this was only a dream, and the nightmare that she knew would follow would never happen…Because this wasn't reality at all.

Her mind began to slip away, and Chiisai knew then that this wasn't a dream like she hoped. This hellish nightmare of reality would come eventually, and she would be the cause of it. What would Kakashi think of her then? What could she do to warn him? Could she even do that without Danzo knowing?

She wanted this to be a dream. She wanted to wake up into a reality where she was laying in Kakashi's arms, and he was smoothing back her hair and kissing the top of her head. She wanted to open her eyes and see him there, because with him she felt…whole.

But she knew as her body fell forward that this was the familiar touch of fatigue. Soon she would close her eyes and open them to face the dream world yet again.

And maybe then she would form a plan- a plan that would keep Kakashi safe and make Danzo pay for everything he had done.

One could only hope.

END

_This is my last week of summer school, so after Thursday I'll have a week to freely write while unchain to college! I plan on getting back into a normal fanfic schedule, and for those who are still reading, I thank you for your patience! My grades have improved a lot, so I shall celebrate by getting this fanfic back into the swing of things! (And eating lots of chocolate)_

_I see people are still following this, which I am grateful for! _


	17. Planning

"Physically she's fine…Or as fine as she usually is," Shizune stated. "It must have been the mental strain that made her pass out. However, there is something I found that may be cause for concern. Danzo used the Cursed Tongue Eradication Technique on her."

Kakashi nodded as he glanced over Chiisai's face. How many times had he stood next to her like this, while she lay unable to wake? They really needed to find another routine, one that made her look peaceful when she was actually awake. "It's to be expected," he replied, "but nevertheless problematic. As thorough as Danzo is, he likely stopped her from using his name in the Dream World as well."

Shizune agreed, though she didn't like it. She also didn't like the look of Chiisai's feet when she took her shoes off. So the brunette began her medical ninjutsu as she asked, "How did she react when you explained you running away from the meeting?"

The jonin ran a hand through his hair and said, "I didn't have time to." Just seeing the confusion on Chiisai's face had filled him with remorse. They were going to have to have a talk when she finally awoke to discuss everything. Not that Kakashi particularly enjoyed discussing his feelings, but it was necessary in order to make Chiisai see he wasn't repulsed by her. _Oi, this is going to be a hassle. Only Chiisai could bring me so low as to feel anxious about sharing my feelings. I may need to buy her mochi ice cream to help speed the process. And get sake for myself._

"No wonder she passed out," Shizune muttered. "I saw the way she looked when you left. She thinks you're _disgusted_ by her, Kakashi."

He crossed his arms, muttering, "Thanks for reminding me." _Definitely get some mochi ice cream and sake._

"She's been under immense physical and emotional strain these past weeks. We all should be careful around her. I can't tell if she's actually better mentally or if she's putting on a show. She should be in terrible pain with these injuries, but her face hides it well."

"She's once told me she's a good liar when she has the energy. She'll act the part as longs as it's for the safety of the village." He shook his head and went on, "With everything as it is right now, it's likely she won't admit just how injured she is…mentally or physically."

With a tsk, Shizune ended the treatment. Facing Kakashi, she said, "Chiisai will have to stay here for a few days so we can see how her body fares. Tsunade requested that Sakura do her therapy as well."

He nodded. After a moment, his voice softened to ask, "When will the Council decide?"

She could see the pain in his eye. He was more worried about Chiisai than Chiisai was worried about herself. "They're meeting with Danzo tomorrow to discuss it." Shaking her head, she bitterly said, "Danzo outsmarted us all this time."

"She's done a lot for the village, many of which we can't acknowledge her for. But with everything that's happened, I'm beginning to think that the Third was right to seal her abilities," Kakashi said. "It would be best for Chiisai and the village in the long run."

Shizune followed his gaze to Chiisai. He was right, after all. Her abilities had helped numerous problems, many of which hadn't been recorded. But the cons were now beginning to outweigh the pros. If they waited much longer, her powers would fall into the wrong hands, or even worse- her mental state would cause her dream abilities to destroy everything that they had built to keep Konoha stable.

"Hm. It's already eight."

Shizune's eyes darted to the clock. With a look of concern, she gathered Tonton in her arms and said, "I should see how Lady Tsunade is. She hasn't been her usual self these past few days." Sighing, she muttered, "It started earlier than last year."

Kakashi's eye softened as he nodded. The anniversary of a loved one's death never got easier it seemed.

He brushed Chiisai's hair out of her face as Shizune left, daring to hope that he'd never have to experience that with her.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Zetsu was not pleased. He had checked on each member of the Akatsuki to find they were currently busy doing nothing. Well, nothing worth watching. So the creature had shifted his gaze toward Konoha. Maybe he could sneak out some of that woman's chakra again. But what he had found at first seemed amusing. But in the end the librarian had disappointed him.

"Couldn't she destroy him if she wanted?"

"Idiot," Black Zetsu hissed. "He has her scared. But it won't last long."

White Zetsu blinked. "Hm?"

"Danzo will have to use other methods in order to keep her on his side," he replied. "He can't watch her powers all the time, and she'll use that against him."

The pale half watched as Danzo walked down the street. "So you think he'll be Hokage finally?"

"It's possible." His yellow eye followed the old man until he was out of sight. Danzo had grown predictable over the years and had ceased to get their attention after the Uchiha Massacre. But now it seemed the ninja was finally showing something promising.

"That's not part of the plan," White Zetsu said. He was about to add how bored he was getting when his partner replied, "His ambition has always been a useful tool for the plan, baka."

"Oi, should we tell Madara?"

There was hesitation. Was the information worth telling him, at least for now? "We'll wait."

With his boredom at maximum level, he suggested, "There was a battle over on the border earlier. You think it's still going on?"

"Probably."

"Let's check it out!"

"Eh, fine." Black Zetsu grumbled, "It's better than that Nine-tails brat you love to watch."

"He he," the other replied, "he's fun!"

They sank back into the tree as Black Zetsu muttered, "Baka."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Chiisai should have gone back into reality by now, but she just couldn't bring herself to step back into it. There was too much happening at once, so in order to calm herself she had sank into the deepest part of the dream world. Silent grey orbs floated around her, and in the stillness she was able to finally think.

_He knows I killed my parents. He knows I helped with the Uchiha massacre. I let Fu sift through every bit of my memories, and now Danzo knows it all._

_I just have to protect Kakashi at all costs. He's the only thing I have left…Of course, that's exactly why Danzo picked him to poison._

_But can I somehow warn everyone? With that cursed seal on my tongue, I'll never have such a chance. He even made Fu put the seal on me in the dream world. And that damned seal he used on me can't even let me show anyone my memories. Does that man have a jutsu for everything? And I still can't get into his damn mind!_

_Should I contact Itachi? No, we promised to stop communication. Besides, I can't get him into my mess again. I can't have someone always saving me. Yes, I'll stop Danzo somehow. I'll have to if I don't want the entire village under his control. And with me as his slave, he'll have the entire world in his hand._

_Well, this whole process will be a lot easier if Kakashi hates me. Maybe showing him my memories was a blessing in disguise. If he's around, he'll definitely know I'm lying. And once he knows about the seal Danzo placed on me, he'll definitely grow suspicious. I can't have him snooping if I want him to live. Ah, shit, this is going to be hard._

_I'll just have to play Danzo's game for now. Take one step at a time. Gather information. Exploit any weakness I can find. Be subtle, but let him catch me at least once. Danzo won't believe me if I'm immediately compliant. I'll try to get into his mind. He'll probably sense that. That way I can also test his limits. But first I need a way to save Kakashi. Where did Danzo get a poison that can't be traced in the body? And how can it be activated by a jutsu?_

A memory surfaced in her mind, a dream she had snuck into back at the Snow Festival. The vision was a young man with glasses, smirking at her. Desperate, Chiisai kept the image in her mind and summoned her chakra. At her command, the orbs began to flicker to life. The ones she desired grew brighter than the rest, and soon over a hundred glowing dreams settled around her.

She pressed a hand on one. Her fingers began to glow as the information seeped into her. She did the same to next orb, and the next, and thirty orbs later she had what she needed from his dreams.

_Kabuto. Orphan. Medic-nin. Sasori. Orochimaru. Experiments._

A medic-nin skilled enough to work with Orochimaru and his experiments would have to know everything there is about the human body. Orochimaru would trust in Kabuto to serve him well, especially when it came to his recovery. Not only that, but Kabuto would have to know what to administer to take the toxins out of his master's body. Anyone with such knowledge of creating antidotes could assumingly be just as skilled at creating poisons. And if Orochimaru and Danzo were still on speaking terms…

No, Danzo wouldn't communicate with Orochimaru, especially after his attack on the village. As gutless as he was, Danzo still held the village's best interest in mind, at least in his own twisted way. Trading information with Orochimaru couldn't be possible…Right? Of course, she could always take a peek inside Orochimaru's head to be sure.

A chill ran down her spine. Taking a deep breath, Chiisai shook her head and thought, _That's for another day__._

END

_Heads up: Chapters will probably be shorter than normal for a bit! If I screw something up, tell me! Or if I sound repetitive (don't let me be repetitive guys! I forget what I write sometimes!) Sooo…How was everyone's summer?_


	18. Detachment and Dependence

Sharp onslaughts of pain erupted within her, forcing Chiisai awake. The bed creaked as she twisted under the sheets. Her lungs screamed for oxygen, but the pain made her incapable of taking in a breath. She squeezed her eyes shut when the tears cascaded down her cheeks and dampened the pillow. If only she could silence the agony within her. Chiisai felt the dream world lurking in her mind, beckoning for her to return. Her consciousness clawed its way towards the portal, desperate for any kind of escape. Why did reality hurt so much? Why didn't she just stay in the dream world, where it was warm and safe?

Hands clamped on her shoulders, restricting her movements. Chiisai tried to fight but it was evident that she was too weak to even nudge whoever had her. Sounds filled her ears, muffled amidst the pain. She was so close the dream world; just a bit more-

"Chiisai."

Her name. His voice. Chiisai knew exactly who had her. The knowledge of his presence halted her need for escape, and she silently cursed herself for such weakness yet again. She couldn't just deny reality and return to the dream world. It would ruin everything she had worked for to get to this point. In that realm, she would be driven to insanity…Just like before. Dammit, why couldn't she be stronger?

It took a few seconds, but the librarian reluctantly withdrew from the temptation in her mind. Fear coursed through her, and with what little courage she could muster, she opened her eyes.

Kakashi loosened his grip on her as she looked up. For a moment their eyes locked, and Chiisai could see pain that lurked within him- the pain of seeing her hurt. She had seen the same expression numerous times, but one recollection squeezed her like the pain in her feet. It was Kakashi's face after he saved her from Hitoshi.

The memories threatened to overtake her, but she pushed against them and forced herself to regain control. Kakashi's expression never wavered and suddenly the plans she constructed in the dream world unraveled before her. Kakashi wasn't going to avoid her at all, nor was he disgusted by her. She could see it in his eye how he felt. As the wave of agony receded, she muttered, "…I'm an idiot."

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "About what?"

"…Don't make me say it," she muttered. Her eyes glanced away, and she wondered why. Was it embarrassment, shame, or guilt that made it impossible to look at him sitting beside her?

Kakashi wiped her hair from her face. His voice had its usual tone as he said, "You know I love you, correct?"

She closed her eyes as his fingers slid down her cheek. The physical contact calmed her. It was something she needed, especially after what had happened with Danzo. Slowly, she brought her hand up to cover his. "…Yes."

He was partially relieved that he didn't have to explain then. But he was still worried. "Will you look at me then? I'd like to see your face."

With a heavy sigh, Chiisai turned her gaze toward Kakashi. His eye still held the usual intensity, but as the seconds passed it slowly softened. He leaned forward and brought his masked lips to her forehead. "You had me worried," he said. The jonin pulled back and continued, "I realized too late that my actions had given you the wrong assumption. And having to wait while you were being interrogated by Danzo was…maddening."

She shook her head and replied, "…I'm sorry. I just…When you left…" She swallowed, forcing down the lump in her throat. "It hurt," Chiisai whispered. "It hurt a lot. I thought you left me." _That you were disgusted by me. That I was trash in your eyes, that you would leave me forever and I would be alone. I'd no longer get to see you, to hold your hand, to even hear your voice._

Kakashi grazed his thumb over her hand, feeling how cold she was under his touch. It seemed he was failing at the promises he had made. She deserved far better than him, that much was obvious. They needed more time to figure things out, to make up for the months separated. It was all rushing by too fast for his liking.

He stared down at their hands, saying, "I blame myself for what happened to you. I couldn't face what I had failed to do." He pause as the emotions flooded him and he cursed himself for lack of control. But there was so much pain and so much desire to see Chiisai happy. He finally finished, "…And now you have to live with that pain forever."

Her lips parts as she scolded, "You can't blame yourself, Kakashi. You had no-"

She cringed, her body tightening with another wave of pain. The jonin pulled her into his lap while she twisted in his arms, cursing with each breath she took. It was so difficult to keep her mind under control, and as the pain worsened the easier it was to convince herself to flee into the dream world.

But he stopped her. It was the feeling of him holding her, of hearing his breath as he hugged her against him. It was the knowledge of how much he cared that made her stay.

When it was finally over, Kakashi whispered, "It's getting worse."

"What I wouldn't give for some fucking cat spit," she half-groaned.

He squeezed her hand again before he pulled away. Cursing meant she was exhausted, angry, and in pain. What did the anger derive from? Shaking his head, Kakashi stood and went to the door. "I'll get the nurse."

"Kakashi?"

"Hm?" He paused and turned his head back, catching her eye as she brushed back her hair.

"About the interrogation..." She couldn't bring herself to finish. Not after what she had agreed to with that bastard.

Sighing, Kakashi walked back to her bed. "Let's discuss it later, shall we? Just rest for now." He smiled and kissed her forehead, alieving her of the stress she might have seen in his eye. At this second Danzo was talking to the council members, discussing her fate. For all he knew, this could be their last day together…

Chiisai watched him as concern creeped up. There was something off with his expression, though she couldn't place it. She tugged on his sleeve and said, "Hey."

Chiisai opened her mouth, hesitated, and then said, "I love you."

A sad smile formed under his mask. "You don't know how happy that makes me," he replied. Kakashi pressed his lips to hers before heading back to the door.

She reached out as if to grab him, fearing what could happen while he was gone. But her dependence on him had to stop. She needed to detach herself and let go. So Chiisai watched him leave, regretting every action she would commit from here on out.

END

_I'm gonna try a different take on what I originally planned. Would you like the story to get more action, or spicy (not too spicy though), or some seriousness? It's kinda got off balanced, but I'm gonna strive to finish this darned thing and keep ya'll interested in it! So critique! I welcome it!_

_Thank you Rinilirio for recently following this! It's what motivated me back to writing!_


	19. Intermission

Kakashi stopped when she flinched. His palms braced against the mattress as he pushed himself off of her. They locked eyes. The same pain and yearning in his eye reflected in hers.

The jonin leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead. Her skin felt warm beneath his kiss, and as he pulled away he asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"Don't stop," she whispered back.

"Alright then," he nodded. "But if you need to-"

Her fingers curved around the nape of his neck to guide him back down. Her touch was cool and he welcomed it. Kakashi's hands slid under her shirt and wrapped around the small of her waist, pulling her up to sit on his lap. The jonin kissed her gently, making sure she was comfortable as possible. It seemed to work, as she responded by sucking on his lower lip.

His calloused fingers spread across her back as the front of their bodies pressed against each other. Chiisai wrapped her legs around him and gasped as Kakashi trailed light kisses up her jawline. She was intoxicating, and the pleasure she felt only intensified the ninja's need to give her more. His tongue traced the shell of her ear, his breath warm against her now wet skin. The combination had her nails digging into the fabric of his shirt. His hands moved to her hips, loving the feel of the curves gracing her small frame. He wanted more, so much more, but Kakashi resisted the drive quickly rising within him.

Instead he showered her face with tender kisses. She smiled as he brushed her hair away from her forehead. But the smile quickly faded as the memory of someone else flooded her vision. Him brushing her hair back, his rough lips on her neck, his hands molesting her freezing body-

"Chiisai." Kakashi hugged her as her breathing became shallower. Her body shuddered against his as the memories slashed their way to the surface. Luckily, it didn't take as long as the last time for her to regain control. Kakashi comforted her, waiting patiently until she was well again.

Chiisai pressed her forehead into his shoulder, all the while feeling her lungs expand and retract. "I'm sorry." It was barely above a whisper, but Kakashi could easily hear it.

The jonin tightened his hold on her and replied, "Don't ever be sorry."

Chiisai pulled away from him to say, "I had better control when I first arrived. But the longer I'm here the more things seem to affect me." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "The worst is that they're small things, like a color or gesture…even someone's posture can cause me to panic." Luckily, the confines of the hospital room lacked most of the triggers.

Kakashi held her face in his hands, making her look at him. He said, "I want you to feel safe. I want you to tell me if I ever do anything to jeopardize that." There was hesitation in his next sentence. "What was it?"

A shiver ran down her spine as she replied, "…It was your hand brushing my hair back."

Kakashi nodded. Last time it had been kissing her neck. The situation had gradually started to get better, but it wouldn't be going away anytime soon.

"But everything was great until then," she added. "Reading those books of yours seemed to have paid off."

He raised an eyebrow and replied, "I'm assuming that's your way of complimenting my skills in the art of romance..."

"It actually sounds more like an insult." Chiisai tilted her head to say, "_Make Out Tactics_ had some poorly worded smut. However, yes," she smiled, "that was me trying to compliment your kissing skills."

Kakashi tsk, "You compliment me by insulting my favorite book?" He gazed at Chiisai, loving the expression on her face. If only he could make her smile more. "That's not very nice, Small Tiger."

She glanced down at her wrapped legs and said, "It's hard to be nice when you have two appendages of pain." Their kissing had done little to stop the aches in her legs. Realistically, the electric buzz still pulsing through her probably had made it worse. Was it worth it though? 100% yes. If only those damned flashbacks would stop...

"Hm." Kakashi placed his hands on the back of her thighs and lifted her up. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck as he stood. With one hand, the ninja pulled back the gray covers. He laid her down and kissed her forehead. "You should sleep."

He sank down beside her, causing the bed to creak. There was just enough room for the two of them thanks to Chiisai's small stature. Kakashi arranged her hair away from his face before pulling the sheets over them. Chiisai snuggled against him. She was relieved to have him beside her, especially in the darkness. That was when her memories and nightmares haunted her the most. Feeling his chest rise and fall against her back was one of the most comforting things in the world. Maybe she would miss that the most.

Ashamed of herself, Chiisai whispered, "Kakashi?"

"Hm."

"…Nevermind."

The ninja nudged her and replied, "What?"

"I'm…" She sighed, unable to finish.

Kakashi tightened his arm around her as he said, "…Afraid?"

"Mmhm," she nodded. "They're going to announce their decision tomorrow." It had been a week since her interrogation. Apparently no one could agree on what to do, and they all thought it was because she snuck into their minds at night. They had made sure she was awake during the timeslot of their meetings, and every word was documented so Chiisai could alter as little as possible. Even worse, they checked each Council member to see if her chakra signature resided within them. It was maddening to have this drag out, but it did give her more time with Kakashi. The therapy and medications given through Sakura also helped pass the time, but sometimes it only helped to bring on the pain supplied through her healing nerve endings.

Of course, the main advantage was that Chiisai had had more time to figure out what poison was in Kakashi. Unfortunately, there was little information regarding the mysterious jutsu. Her only lead was with Orochimaru, but Chiisai knew she would never have the courage to venture into that madman's head.

Kakashi pulled her out of her thoughts as he said, "You're afraid they'll side with Danzo."

"Yes."

He feared it too. Knowing that he may not see her again filled him with dread. However, it was likely such a decision wouldn't stop him from going after her. "…What will you do if such a thing happens?"

She shook her head and tried to focus on the conversation rather than her aching limbs. "They'll be a major power shift if I end up with him," Chiisai said. "The Council would basically say they feel that Danzo should be the Hokage." Sighing, she whispered, "I just…I don't want to be a weapon anymore. But getting sealed…I don't want to go through that again either." _I also don't want to see you dead, Farm Boy._

"It's of no use worrying about it now," he replied. The jonin gazed at the woman in his arms. He'd probably be up half the night thinking up strategies to face each situation. He already had a dozen solutions but they didn't seem like enough.

"I'm surprised they didn't do more to stop me from getting in their minds tonight."

"The decision was made earlier today, while you were being watched. It's in a special scroll…Only the one who sealed it can open it."

"Let me guess," she groaned, "it's Danzo?"

"Correct." Kakashi closed his eyes and pictured his lips against hers, of his hands running down her sides… "Yo."

"What?"

The jonin kissed the back of her head and said, "I love you."

She smiled sadly in the darkness and replied, "…I love you too."

"And that's all that matters, Small Tiger."

END

_I'm so so so sorry it's been so long! Also, my writing is probably rusty now… I hope you all forgive me! _


	20. Revelation

"What?!"

Lady Tsunade tossed the scroll to Kakashi, who caught it midair. She continued, "The council agreed that Chiisai be sealed, as her powers prove to be too dangerous. It seems even Danzo couldn't convince them."

Tomo, who was currently curled on Chiisai's lap, was worried. She glanced up at her human, but Chiisai wasn't smiling at the good news. Rather, the woman looked as if she had just received word of a loved one's death. Tilting her head up, Tomo asked, "What's wrong?"

The brunette blinked. Now everyone gazed at Chiisai, much to her growing unease. She shook her head to scatter the morbid thoughts plaguing her mind. "I'm just…" Sighing, she looked up at Tsunade and asked, "How long until the seal takes place?"

"One week. It was the only time I could buy in order for Kakashi to master the sealing technique."

Kakashi nodded. He always kept the seal's instructions on him and had studied it ever since Chiisai had given it to him. However, the jonin's confidence in his Sharingan was cause for concern. Though his abilities grew significantly over the past few months, Kakashi had little practice applying it to a fuinjutsu. A technique such as this required a massive amount of chakra. Of course, that would be the one thing he fell short of.

Lady Tsunade tilted her head at the ninja and said, "Kakashi? You seem apprehensive."

The shinobi shifted his gaze to the Hokage, who stood at the foot of the bed. "The seal was intended to be executed by a Uchiha. Any mistakes could prove disastrous for Chiisai." The technique required Sharingan in order to suppress Chiisai's chakra while the user performed the actual seal. Such mastery seemed out of Kakashi's reach, especially when compared to the Sharingan skills of Itachi. It had taken weeks for Kakashi just to activate his Mangeyko Sharingan.

Lady Tsunade crossed her arms and replied, "You're all we've got. The only advice I can suggest is looking to Chiisai for guidance. Her memory is the only information we have of the seal."

Now the attention turned on Chiisai. Shaking her head, she said, "... I can no longer share my memories." She could already feel Danzo jutsu take effect, and she immediately clamped her lips shut. Her hatred for the older shinobi rose every time one of his seals took effect on her.

The Hokage's voice hardened as she said, "…We never discussed your interrogation with Danzo. What all did he do?"

Sighing, Chiisai opened her mouth to reveal black markings on her tongue. Danzo's work was evident, but nothing could be done. After all, they had agreed that Danzo could question her in any way he wished. And though they already knew this, there was another reason to be worried.

"He used the Cursed Tongue Eradication Technique on you _and_ another seal to block your memories then." Kakashi's ribs expanded as he took in a deep breath. Calming his heartrate, the jonin finished with, "Danzo is always a thorough one, isn't he."

Lady Hokage rubbed her temples. The need for alcohol was coming to its peak. "What Danzo did no longer matters. What we need to know is how he'll anticipate the news of Chiisai's sealing."

"I worked under Danzo while serving in the anbu," Kakashi replied. "His desire to become Hokage is relentless. He's patient, but will take extreme measures when he feels it necessary." Danzo even tried to ambush the Third with his own ROOT members at one time, a scheme Kakashi himself had almost been a part of…

Tomo shifted her weight in Chiisai's lap before mentioning, "If he were to take Chiisai, he would need a way to control her."

Chiisai ran a hand through her hair as her anxiety escalated. She retorted, "Can you stop talking about me in third person? I'm right here, you know." Their brainstorming was arriving too close to the truth. Farm Boy was always too perceptive for her liking…Especially since he was one of the only two people she couldn't influence with her powers.

Kakashi, who had been watching Chiisai this whole time, got to his feet. "The only way anyone would get to you is if they use me as a collateral." He continued to study her as his mind configured each possibility brought on by the conversation. Fearing the worst, he stated, "…The ninja that came after you when we stayed at Lady Tsunade's used a jutsu that rendered me completely immobile." Kakashi analyzed Chiisai's reaction, as her body language revealed what she was attempting to hide. She sat frozen in the hospital bed, her eyes staring down at Tomo's black fur. It was obvious he was on to something, though he dreaded what it may cause. "You said so yourself that you don't have the type of strength to let me be in pain," he said with a steady breath. Memories of that day flooded him, of the pain that racked his entire body. "…If that's the case, you would have done whatever the ninja said to make that jutsu stop. And if he was sent by Lord Danzo…then I would be the blackmail used against you. "

Tsunade's eyebrows furrowed at Chiisai as she finished, "…Which would mean you are currently under Danzo's orders."

The tension grew thick in the small room as a silence settled. Chiisai mentally cursed Danzo. This must have been his plan all along. Kakashi was considered a genius, after all. Putting the pieces together wouldn't have been hard at all for him. That meant Danzo had incorporated her ignorance into the plan as well. She had been so distracted with protecting Kakashi that she was completely blindsided from what lay right in front of her.

"…I'm going to fix this." Her whisper broke the quiet. Tears flooded her vision as she gazed up at Kakashi. He saw the truth on her face. "Somehow, I'm going to protect you and the village," Chiisai continued. Her voice shook, whether from sorrow or rage at Danzo, she didn't know. "I won't let you die, even if it means you'll hate me for the rest of your life."

His eye widened at the conviction in her words. So he had been right. Kakashi cursed himself for not realizing sooner. Danzo had placed everyone's attention on the political matters involving Chiisai, but Chiisai had been in his grasp from the start. The old man had fooled them all, and Kakashi had played right into his hands.

And Chiisai had lied yet again. The thought pierced his heart, even if she lied to protect him.

It was then when it hit him. The familiar pain sliced through his body, causing him to stumble as his vision swam. Someone said his name, but his senses were dulled by the agony consuming him. The mysterious jutsu was back- stronger than before. His body slammed into the floor, though he couldn't feel it for the waves of pain already coursing in him.

The torment pressed deeper inside him, ripping at his insides. Kakashi tried to scream but there was no sound. He needed to get to Chiisai, he needed to protect her. It didn't matter whether she had hidden the truth or not- the woman he loved was about to disappear again from his life. Danzo would take her and finally succeed with his plan. That meant Lady Tsunade was in danger...And the village

But how could he focus when such suffering accompanied him? His body shook with convulsions, leaving him unable to rise from the ground. Eventually, the anguish blurred into darkness, and Kakashi knew no more.

END

_Hope you all are having a nice winter break if you're on one! Thanks for the reviews too! It makes me happy that some of you still like the story, though it keeps changing on me…_

_If anyone needs things explained, let me know. My thoughts are choppy and it may have reflected in my writing. Actually, I'm super afraid that these chapters are starting to sound monotonous! Until next time!_


	21. Waking Once More

"_Who's more important, him or the village?"_

Chiisai hadn't missed the voice. It was now a constant companion to her miserable life, yet it was a life she had chosen. Chiisai no longer had allies, or friends for that matter. Her choice left her alone.

Well, except for the voice. Obviously.

"_Was it really worth one man?"_

The one who had tortured her for a decade prowled her mind. Nails dug into skin but failed to stop the familiar tone of past haunts. Was this worth one man? Were her actions justifiable? One life over the safety of the village? It was selfish, she knew deep down. Shinobi had sacrificed much more in order to protect the Hidden Leaf. Of course, she was nothing close to a ninja. Had the hatred towards her father, a ninja, somehow affected logical thinking? Kakashi should not have been worth the prosperity of the village. But her heart, like that of most lovers, rejected such rational thinking. Though Chiisai's abilities expanded beyond the limits of normal power, her spirit was the opposite- it was weak and withered.

"_You may have defeated me, but it's not over. Your power will slowly consume you until someone else comes after it. You will never be free."_

She hated admitting it, but he was right. Already she could feel the darkness inside her. The impossible task before her had her doubts high, and the knowledge of her loneliness only drew her closer to the dark. If she didn't control it fast, it would manifest in the dream world.

"_Your reality will make you suffer as long as you live."_

She wouldn't be the only one suffering though. Not this time.

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_The blood blinded him from everything else. It wasn't the deep, dark red, that swells and spills from skin. This was vibrant and overlapped like ribbons, as if the blood floated in water. The streams twisted and spun before arching in adjacent lines. The delicate wisps formed in clusters and encompassed his vision._

_Red Spider Lilies. Millions of them. _

_Kakashi's stomach wrenched as if sick, and his knees buckled. The jonin rocked back and forth, his eye widening from the pain overtaking his body. It was violent and he clawed at his chest, hoping to tear out his heart. The feeling overwhelmed him as he understood the meaning from the lilies: Never to meet again. Lost Memory. Abandonment._

_A flicker of a whisper seemed to rip him from the silence of his grief. His head slowly rose as Chiisai crouched down in front of him. Her hair hung over her eyes, and he desperately wanted to reach for her. He refused to believe this, to relive the last chapter of their lives together. _

_She smiled, but it wasn't from joy. The expression cut through him like a kunai, and in the next instant the sky flickered with a blinding light. _

_His breath forced itself from his lips as Chiisai's hand tore through his chest. The chidori flickered from her palm while the sound of a thousand birds pierced the air. Chiisai leaned in as he stared ahead. Warm blood dribbled from his lip and stained his mask. The woman who betrayed him gripped his shoulder with her free hand and ripped out her arm. A choking sound escaped him but he could no longer breathe. _

"_I wish that you had let Hitoshi finish me off, Farm Boy. It would have been easier on us all."_

Kakashi's eye opened as he gasped for air. Bolting upright in bed, the ninja reached for Chiisai but only found air. His chest rose and fell sporadically in the light. It was almost noon, and he was in the hospital. Chiisai wasn't beside him; in fact, he was alone.

His head dropped as he gazed down at the blurry sheets. With shaking hands, the jonin wiped the tears away. Soreness swept across his limbs, as if he had just finished a battle. He knew why he felt this way though. The jutsu had taken effect on him right after realizing Danzo's plan. His knuckles turned white as his hands balled into fists. Betrayal etched its way inside him as if it were hollowing his chest out. The stupid woman had forsaken the entire village to save him from Danzo.

He wanted to hate her in the same way he had hated his father. The White Fang forsook his mission in order to save his comrades. Obito had done the same thing for Rin. And Rin had done the same thing to Kakashi. What else did all these people have in common?

They were all dead.

Despite his sickly demeanor, Kakashi tore back the sheets and got to his feet. They had stripped him to his pants, undershirt, and mask as usual. The drip stand rolled after him as he took a step. Frustrated, the jonin peeled off the tape attached to his wrist and removed the needle. Blood swelled at the insertion, reminding him of the nightmare that had woke him in the first place.

Red Spider Lilies. Abandonment, never to meet again.

Like hell that was happening.

His feet thudded against the wooden floor as he took heavy steps. He was already tired by the time he reached the door, meaning he had suffered more than previously thought or he had been out for awhile. Both were problematic.

If Chiisai wasn't with him, that meant she was with Danzo. The ROOT leader's plan had already taken effect while Kakashi had been asleep. What all had happened during that time? Worry gripped him at the possibilities.

Something caught his eye. The newspaper sat folded neatly on the chair next to the door. His eyebrow furrowed as he snatched it up in his hand. His worry transformed into shock, which was on the brink of panic.

Written at the top were the headlines: **Lord Danzo Temporary Hokage!**

The door opened before he could read further. It was Kaori.

"Ah, you're finally awake." Her visible relief slowly turned into frustration as she glanced at his hand. "...And you've taken your IV out."

He pointed to the headlines and said, "When did this happen?"

"Yesterday morning." She hesitated at his frantic tone. "...You've been out for three days." Wishing to change the subject, the brunette gestured to the bed and asked, "Why don't you go and lie down? You're still weak."

The newspaper crinkled in his hand as his grip tightened. Kakashi silently obeyed Kaori and trudged back to the cot. He needed answers and he needed to regain his strength. He also needed to know... The jonin glanced at the nurse and asked, "Karasu Chiisai- do you know the name?"

She blinked in surprise. "Uh...Excuse me?"

"Karasu Chiisai."

"I'm sorry," she replied, "but I've never heard of that name." Fearing the jonin's grip on reality, Kaori helped him to the bed and said, You really should rest for now."

The mattress creaked as he sunk down in it. Sighing, the jonin rubbed his temples and mumbled, "I thought as much."

END

_I will be randomly in and out on this fanfic due to school. As usual, I am loyal but time-wise unreliable. Note Chiisai can't erase/influence Kakashi's memories because of the Sharingan._


	22. The Latest Propoganda

**Lord Danzo Temporary Hokage!**

_The Hidden Leaf, Fire Country- Our Fifth Hokage is known as a woman of power, severity, and authority. Lady Tsunade has been praised for her medical ninjutsu and her strength in battle. After the tragic events that unfolded two years ago, Lady Tsunade swept in and restored the much needed stability to our village. And though she is marked as the granddaughter of the First Hokage, she is also acknowledged for things that are far from prestigious._

_Everyone knows about her excessive attachments to alcohol and gambling, though many disapprove of it. Our ladyship has done well to separate her addictions and her leadership role, that is, until three days ago._

_On March 18, just a day after the anniversary of her lover's death, Lady Tsunade was found unconscious in her room surrounded by empty bottles of sake. Several staff members in the Academy spoke to us concerning the matter. One said, "We were worried when we noticed her drinking more than usual. We never thought something like this would happen though."_

_It was discovered at the hospital that Lady Tsunade suffered from alcohol poisoning. Reports reveal her physical recovery did not take long, but her emotional recovery remains a mystery. Utatane Koharu, one of the council members, had this to say: "Lady Tsunade depicts herself as a strong woman, but many remember why she left the village. The death of Kato Dan destroyed her in more ways than one, and it's still destroying her today. It's a shame that this happened, especially to someone from the line of Senju Hashirama."_

_Whether this was a suicide attempt remains unclear._

_The daimyo was contacted immediately and arrived March 19. After careful consideration and discussion with the Council, he has deemed Lady Tsunade unfit to be Hokage, at least, for the time being._

_"We pray for her speedy recovery, as we still wish for her to remain as leader of the Hidden Leaf," he said. "She is on leave several weeks for now, and until she returns I and the Council have placed Lord Danzo as temporary Hokage."_

_Shimura Danzo, also known as "The Shinobi of Darkness," is indeed a ninja shrouded in a dark haze. His proficiency in the ways of a ninja were seen at an early age, and he soon rose above the ranks alongside Sarutobi Hiruzen. Danzo has been known for his brutal tastes in war, leading him to find the organization known as ROOT, which has long been shut down. Lord Danzo also served on the council under the reign of the Third Hokage, giving him experience not only as a ninja but also as a standing political figure. Many villagers have recognized his contrasting opinions with the Third, but have come to realize that Shimura had only brought balance to Sarutobi's too-peaceful ways._

_Since Lord Danzo is substituting, he is yet to be an "official" Hokage. In an interview, he stated, "It is a great sadness that such a kunoichi has fallen ill. We will continually look forward to her recovery, and until then I am honored to serve as her replacement."_

_The news of this transition has started to go beyond the nation's borders. It is unsure what events will unfold in the coming weeks._

_Until then, we all pray for Lady Tsunade and we now look to Lord Danzo to lead the Hidden Leaf._

** Who's the Man Behind the Mask?**

_Everyone knows the name of Hatake Kakashi. He's a killing machine, the perfect ninja, the man with the Sharingan and Chidori. Not only is he one of the most elite shinobis, but he's also the most attractive (we don't have to look under his mask to know that!). His air of mystery, his brilliance in battle, the rippling muscles hidden underneath the uniform- the list of characteristics can go on and on. He is certainly someone who has no trouble turning heads. This begs the question all single women are dying to know: Who's the man behind the mask? And will he ever settle down?_

_The man's past is laced with tragedy and darkness, only adding to the mystery that is Hatake Kakashi. Many villagers can usually see him at the Memorial Stone. This contrasts his aloof demeanor, only making him more of an enigma. Though he puts himself off as a man who doesn't care about much, we all see the passion he puts into protecting the village. Kakashi also doesn't seem the type for showing affections, but have you ever seen him with his ninja hounds while he's off duty? It's clear he's hiding the best characteristics of his personality. This is further seen when he pushes women away by opening reading the notorious Icha Icha. What is this shinobi really trying to do? Is he scared of commitment? Or is he afraid of something more?_

_Rumors spread months ago that he was seeing a woman, a villager with no ninja training. However, she hasn't been spotted in months, and more rumors are spreading. Kakashi's best friend and "eternal rival" had this to say: "Oh, he was definitely seeing someone! But she only broke his heart and left him and the village, the evil wench! Luckily though, Kakashi has me to console him and help him find his one true love! Ladies, if you're interested, I can hook you up with one of the coolest bachelors in town!"_

_Every single lady wants to meet the Copy Ninja and see what is hiding under that mask! Ayame, a server at Ramen Ichiraku's, told us this: "He used to come to Ichiraku's all the time with his team a couple of years ago. He'd eat fast on purpose, but I've caught a couple of glimpses of his face. He's by far the best looking man I've ever seen. Even my father commented on his looks! He also gives great tips!"_

_It's clear that Kakashi is more than just a warrior. But will he ever pull down his mask and open up? So far, he has failed to show to any interview and it is unlikely he will ever do so. Unfortunately, the ninja still seems playing hard-to-get._

END

I'm not really back, but I wanted to let you know I still exist and the story has not ended yet. Does anyone remember what's happening or do I have to rekindle your interest again? What do ya'll think is going to happen with this story? I'm not sure myself to be honest!


	23. Intel

"It took you long enough to get back here, Kakashi."

The jonin walked into his apartment, avoiding Tomo's gaze. "You're hiding your chakra trail," he replied. His voice held no emotion. "I thought you were dead."

The ninneko didn't respond but noticed his once confident strides had been replaced with heavy footsteps. Kakashi sidestepped the bookshelf and made sure to face away from it as he sat down. He didn't want to look at the gift Chiisai had never used, had barely enough time to see.

To him, the place didn't feel like home. Not without Chiisai here.

Tomo hopped up next to him as he placed a stack of newspapers on the coffee table. She said, "Kakashi…" her golden eyes shifted as she continued, "I'm not sure if we can fix this. We need allies but everyone is under Chiisai's control. The damage is…severe."

His eye went to the window to survey the village. Konoha appeared the same, the usual people bustling about. Kids still chased each other down the streets, the vendors sold their usual items, ninja were still on their missions…It was like nothing had changed at all.

Kakashi sighed when his arm twitched. The muscle spasms were a side effect of the jutsu used against him, and the nurse had been no help. It had been four days since Chiisai's betrayal, and he had only been released from the hospital today. He had been forced into bedrest and to undergo useless physical exams. Danzo made no contact with him, but his spies were felt nearby. The only information Kakashi had received were from the newspapers and the nurse.

Kakashi said, "I believe it would be best if we discussed information, starting after the jutsu rendering me useless."

Her tail twitched at his tone. Kakashi was obviously mentally and physically drained. Chiisai's betrayal had been a heavy blow, and the mixed emotions softened any logical thoughts in his mind. When had Danzo convinced Chiisai to join him and why hadn't she fought back? Or had she at all? And where was she being kept? How could they possibly get to her and defeat Danzo successfully?

"Unfortunately,"Tomo began, "I have much to tell you, though most of it you aren't going to like. After you and Lady Tsunade figured out Chiisai's deception, you went down. Chiisai went back to the dream world, and nothing I did could wake her. She took down Tsunade, and then ROOT came." The ninneko paused. "There was little I could do. I could not defeat ROOT, nor could I protect the Fifth or Chiisai," she said with sadness. The ninneko tilted her day down and continued, "They tried to kill me, but I escaped."

She paused once more and watched Kakashi, but he remained expressionless. "I managed to speak with Tonton while I was hiding. It appears Danzo and Chiisai made it look like Tsunade had had a breakdown concerning alcohol and tried to commit suicide. When it was clear she wasn't fit for office, Danzo was the first logical choice to substitute her, especially since you were out of commission. The village didn't seem to mind, which was probably Chiisai's doing. Lady Tsunade is being kept in a guarded facility outside the village to recuperate. Shizune is with her."

Kakashi ran a hand through his hair as he processed the information. He gazed down at the coffee table and arranged the newspapers out in front of him. "From what we can gather, Danzo's main weapon against Chiisai is me. We need to know about that jutsu before we do anything...We need to know a lot of things."

She shook her head and said, "We can't even go to anyone, Kakashi. Chiisai has everyone, and Danzo's spies will always be near. We can't make a move. And…There's something else you need to know."

His eye remained on the news articles. "What is it?"

"It has to do with Hitoshi…And Danzo. They may have been collaborating."

The jonin stiffened. Hearing the name of the man who had brought so much harm to Chiisai caused his blood to boil. Kakashi was usually a very controlled man, but if Tomo's words were true…

He turned his head to look Tomo in the eye. "Start from the beginning," he demanded. "Tell me everything you know."

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_I'm only here to help, dear Chiisai. It seems you need all the help you can get at this point._

She continued gazing at the dream tree with Fu at her side, who was watching her every move. God, she was tired. They had been sleep depriving her the past few days. She could only assume it was to make her delusional and inhibit her from making rational choices. Brainwashing, perhaps?

_It won't be long until he has you completely. You do know that of course. So little time…Can't you accept that I was right for once? Someone else came after you…And you're still not free._

Fu didn't hear the voice of course. It was all in her mind. Well, in her dream mind in her physical mind.

_Surely you've come up with some sort of plan. I remember when your seal was just starting to crack and seep out. You know what I did to break it? I was desperate at the time. I grabbed the nearest person to you, took control of his mind briefly, and made him ram your face into a wall. The romance line was also my doing, though it was in poor taste._

A dream bubble appeared in front of her. She stepped into it, followed by Fu. The auburn-haired man was infuriating. The ROOT member was to be her bodyguard and enforcer, her mediator and interrogator. His sensory skills could also detect when she made a clone. So calling for help wasn't an option at all. Every moment with her was observed, documented, and reported to Danzo.

"Only extract the necessary information."

She didn't reply to him. She had done this to each opposing village so far. The mission was a simple one, really. Extract information about Konohagakure from high ranking officials and ninja and replace it with lies.

_You did the same under the Third, you know. Funny how history repeats itself. Maybe your lover will commit suicide just like the last one too._

"Shut up," she snarled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she muttered. She really was going crazy. Or maybe she already was. The Voice never relented while she was in the dream world, but it had proven useful. It made her remember who she was and what she had accomplished. It kept her identity in check, which was the very thing Danzo was taking away from her.

The victim's mind appeared in front of them. Chakra seeped out of Chiisai's hands and splashed onto the ground. The energy thrummed violently around them as it rushed over the mind like a tidal wave. Scrolls appeared and unraveled before her, and soon the information was absorbed into her body. Fu then placed his gloved hand on her shoulder, absorbing the information as well.

The ink that once stained the scroll soon faded away and a new set of words appeared. The scrolls continued to buzz with Chiisai's chakra until it returned to the victim's mind.

"Mission complete," Fu said. A kunai appeared in his hand, glinting in the light of her chakra. Fu gripped the weapon tight as he shoved the sharp black metal into Chiisai's chest, forcing them awake.

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Kakashi's hands balled into fists as he finally said, "You're saying Danzo met with the earth ambassador and Hitoshi and offered an agreement. Hitoshi kidnapped Chiisai and was allowed to escape under Danzo's watch. However, Danzo planned to betray Hitoshi and retrieve Chiisai for his own use."

"Yes," she nodded. "I heard Hitoshi talking to a Leaf ninja back then. Hitoshi had already recognized Chiisai's chakra at that point. I believe Danzo made a deal with him to make it seem he was getting rid of Tsunade's secret weapon."

Kakashi had been worried back then that Hitoshi recognized Chiisai's chakra. And Danzo's hypothetical involvement would have had its advantages. "The only reason you suspect Danzo's involvement is because a ninja took Chiisai from the recovery team after everything was over."

"Yes," she repeated.

"Which would mean Danzo's ninja took Chiisai, and Itachi saved her."

"Yes. My source from Nekobaa's said Itachi brought Chiisai to them and instructed them to take care of her. Itachi had also said he had taken care of everything, meaning unwelcome guests wouldn't be a problem."

He nodded. "That confirms what Chiisai said after she came back." Kakashi still feared that Itachi would come for her with the Akatsuki. Wouldn't her abilities be profitable to his organization?

The ninneko shook her head and replied, "I still don't understand why Danzo would go to all that trouble. To make a deal with the Land of Earth, and then betray them…you humans don't make sense."

"It caused diplomatic problems between the land of fire and earth. It exposed Chiisai to the Council, placing distrust between them and Lady Tsunade. "He paused. "Chiisai became unstable both emotionally and physically, which would make her more susceptible to him." His mind kept on returning to one specific thought, so he added, "Chiisai's only helping Danzo because he has me as blackmail." Kakashi ran a hand through his hair in frustration. The jutsu used against him was a mysterious one, and no information could be found. It was as if it had been created especially for him.

"But how can he use her with only you as collateral? How is he possibly keeping tabs on her in the dream world?"

"I'm not sure, but I can't be the only thing keeping Chiisai under his control. Danzo has something else up his sleeve."

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"Kakashi was released from the hospital today, my Lord. He is at his apartment, along with the ninneko it seems. We can track their movements, but the jutsu barrier inhibits us from listening."

Danzo nodded to his subordinate. "Continue tracking them. There is nothing else to be done at the moment."

The ROOT member gave a small nod and flickered out of the room. Danzo leaned back in the Hokage's chair. _His chair. _

The thought almost made him smile. But there was still work to be done, some loose ends that needed to be dealt with. Chiisai still wasn't fully under his control yet. Her physical condition meant he could not harm her, not when she was so valuable. But the psychological tactics had proven very useful. It wouldn't be long before she would obey his every order. But just in case…

He lifted his hand to the bandage covering his eye. No, not yet.

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"I have a package."

"It came yesterday," Tomo said. "It hasn't exploded yet, so I'm assuming it's safe."

He raised an eyebrow and replied, "…Does my mail usually explode?"

She shrugged. "There's always a first time for everything."

Kakashi tore the brown paper apart, revealing a small box. "No return address too, eh?" His mind instantly went to Chiisai, hoping that she had somehow managed to contact him.

Though hesitant, Kakashi lifted the lid. In the box, cushion between layers of pale tissue paper, was a silver medallion. The ninja frowned as he held it in his calloused fingers. His dark eye narrowed in on the carved image: an animal with a bear's body, an elephant's nose, a tiger's feet, an oxen tail, and eyes resembling a rhinoceros'.

His stomach turned at the sight of it.

There was silence for a moment. It was hard to believe it, to see it with his own eye. It shouldn't be possible, not after all that had happened. Could it be from Chiisai? He gut told him no, though he wished it with all his heart. No, this wasn't her style. But the only person he could think of...

Tomo squinted at the creature decorating the jewelry. "What is that?"

"The Baku, otherwise known as The Dream-Eater."

END

_I'm baaaaaack!_

_So it's been a while, and I tried to summarize some past stuff in this chapter. I'm a bit rusty from the lack of writing, so I really would love some feedback to see if all this makes sense or is still in character._

_I WILL FINISH THIS. IT'S JUST TAKING FOREVER BECAUSE I'M NOT A GOOD PLOT PLANNER._

_:)_


	24. Another Author's Note

_Hey guys, _

_So it's been awhile. I received a couple of messages which have motivated me so much! It seems tonight my writer's block crumbled to pieces, because in an hour I finally figured out how to finish Chiisai's tale (yes, I have struggled with this for months)!_

_As I begin the end, I'm wondering if you're all kinda now disinterested. I am thinking of writing a separate fanfic of small Kakashi and Chiisai love rambles, which will just be small cute scenes to help ease y'all back into this. Thoughts? Questions? Y'all just want me to get this fanfic over with? __(Yes, I have prepared a spot for a smexy scene in this story)_

_I hope everyone is doing alright, and I'm sorry I'm so untrustworthy timewise. I'm going to shoot for a chapter a month. _ _Good luck with everyone starting this school year! And thank you so much to the ones who have commented, favorited, followed, and sent messages! You don't know how much it helps! _

_-Sola-shines _


	25. I Will Not Break

"Stand."

Chiisai stared straight ahead, refusing to look at the man. "I can't."

His voice was like the sound of drums before battle. "STAND."

She knew what would happen if she didn't. They always used the same threat on her, and it always worked. So, with her eyes heavy from exhaustion, Chiisai struggled out of the chair. Her body still suffered from nerve damage, and the pain struck like pins on her calves. She gripped the sides of her chair and pushed off. But she wouldn't be able to use the chair as support. The man in front of her wouldn't accept that, he never did.

He nodded when she finally rose. The dark circles under her eyes contrasted her pale skin. She was weak, but that meant it would be easier for him in the long run. He allowed her to stand for several more moments before he said, "Sit."

Chiisai closed her eyes as the cycle begun. She sat back down, repeating in her mind the constant string of words that kept her sanity in check. _You will not break me. I am Karasu Chiisai, and I love Kakashi. I will not break. I am Karasu Chiisai, and I have been through much worse._

"Stand."

Again, she rose up out of her chair.

"Sit."

Her muscles were already straining, but she followed his command. The man continued to repeat those two words, and Chiisai continued to obey. Her lungs struggled to keep up, her legs twitched from exertion. She hated herself for it, for physically being unable to do a simple task. Eventually, her body couldn't keep up. Sweat trickled down her brow and she stood, and sat, and stood, and sat, until finally, her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor.

"You lasted longer yesterday."

Chiisai braced her palms on the cold concrete. She couldn't end it like this, she needed to stand. But her forearms wouldn't support her weight.

The man's steps echoed on the walls. His tone was calloused, low, and mocking. "You are weak, defenseless. Pathetic. They told me you had one of the greatest powers ever heard of." He stopped right in front of her, as if she were groveling at his feet. "And look at you. You can't even pick yourself up off the ground."

There were no tears in her eyes when he crouched down. He gripped the back of her shirt and lifted her up so he could look into her eyes. "How many people have you tortured with your great and mighty power? How many times have you defiled yourself by entering someone's dreams and seeing their desires, their fears? How many times have you altered their memories?"

_I am Karasu Chiisai, and I will not break. I am Karasu Chiisai, a librarian in Konoha…._

"You're selfish. Prideful. You abuse your powers and justify it by working under the Third and Fifth Hokage. What a waste." He pulled her closer. His breath was hot on her skin as he barked, "You are nothing. Do you hear me? You are worthless." He extended his fingers and released her. She fell to the ground. "You deserved what Hitoshi did to you. And I'm surprised he even wanted you. Just look at you. You deserve everything that's happened to you."

_I am Karasu Chiisai, and I will not break..._

"Tell me, how many people have you killed?"

She didn't bother trying to get up. _I am Karasu Chiisai, and I have killed so many._

"Tell. Me."

"Ninety-two." _I am Karasu Chiisai…_

"Name them. All of them."

"...Karasu Kuroi, Karasu Gina, Uchiha Teyaki, Uchiha Uruchi..."

With each name, their faces appeared in her mind, their dreams echoing around her. Even with her eyes opened the images poured out. She no longer saw the man in front of her. Tears trickled down her face, and her voice became smaller and smaller until it was a choked whisper. _My name is Karasu Chiisai, and I am a murderer. _

The man smiled as her sobs filled the room. She couldn't even finish the list now. It was progress. "Good," he said. "I look forward to tomorrow's session." He opened the door and stepped out of the room.

Fu appeared, though she didn't see him. The ROOT member picked her up, her body almost weightless in his arms. He then transferred her to her room.

And when the tears had stopped, when she finally opened her eyes, the scream would not come out. Her body stiffened at the sight, knowing that his lips were on her neck, and her ribs were broken, and his hand slid down her naked body. It was so cold, she felt numb from the icy air, but she could still feel him on her, his tongue on her ear, his fingers trailing downward...

Chiisai squeezed her eyes tight, but the lavender walls of her bedroom had already fulfilled their purpose.

_I am Karasu Chiisai, and I am worthless. I am Karasu Chiisai, and I deserve this._

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It was her dark brown hair trailing behind her, glinting auburn in the sunlight. It was her eyes, clear as night, gazing into his. Her hand gripping tight, afraid to let go, holding fast to him as her anchor. It was her arms crossed, head raised defiantly, a stubborn frown etched on her delicate features. Her steady breathing at night and her body curled against him, shutting out the loneliness that had plagued them for so long. The feel of her gentle touch, her cool skin warmed by his calloused hands.

And then time stilled, and she stood before him. Her head tilted to the side, her bangs covering her closed eyes. A small smile played on the lips he so desperately wanted on his. He wanted her eyes on him, her hands roaming his body, her voice whispering his name. If only he could reach out his hand to her, to take her in his arms, to feel her scars lining the small of her waist. He wanted to sink his fingers into her skin, to grip her slender curves and pull her against him tight. He was never going to let her go, not ever again.

But as the clock refused to turn, he realized the Chiisai in front of him wasn't real. He would never be able to see her again, to feel her, to hear her voice. She was gone, and she hadn't even said goodbye. Why hadn't she said goodbye? Why had she broken her promises to him?

Time began to turn once again. The hands of the clock spun faster and faster, whirling as fast as the wheels of his Sharingan. Terror seized him, possessed him, and forced him to his knees. His body trembled at the realization. He couldn't stand, couldn't think. He only saw her in front of him, knowing that this couldn't be happening, but it was, and he could do nothing to stop it. She was already fading from his line of vision, disappearing forever, and as the madness passed Kakashi began to comprehend what was now before him.

It was the loose dirt underneath his hands, staining his knees. It was the gray chiseled tombstone towering over him, denying him the chance to look away. His heart breaking, afraid to let go, to know that his anchor was no more. His arms shaking, his head bowed low, the tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. His breath catching in his lungs and his body unable to support his weight, because the loneliness was suffocating like before, and why did it hurt to breathe, to live without her? The weight was crushing him, god, why was there so much pain in his chest, why was the air like lead-

Kakashi didn't register that he had opened his eyes. There was only darkness and the warm tears running down the sides of his face, his hair damp and cold from sweat. His heart beat wildly against his chest as if it fought to break through his sternum.

Why wasn't Chiisai here? Why was there so much darkness and how could he be alone? She was supposed to be here in his arms. He was going to keep her safe, so protect her. She promised she wouldn't abandon him, so why was he alone? And the pain, god, why did it hurt so much?

But then he saw the trickle of moonlight staining the wall. The sheets were damp, and his fingers gripped the blankets so hard his muscles ached.

Kakashi was in his apartment, and it was night, and Chiisai wasn't there. But...she wasn't dead, no- Danzo had her.

Kakashi, with shallow breaths, pulled himself up into a sitting position and ran a hand through his hair. The tears hadn't stopped, and he didn't bother trying to stop them. It still hurt to breathe, and his heart felt like it was chained to the ground. The nightmare...Had it been a message from Chiisai, or was it one of his usual haunts?

Kakashi remained there in the quiet for several moments, waiting until the shaking stopped before sliding out of bed. The burden of past events hung like a noose around his neck, but Kakashi refused to give into the pain. So the jonin took a step forward, and another, and another.

Rage began to rise and mix with the emotional anguish inside him. He yearned for Chiisai, couldn't bare to be without her, yet she had disappeared to protect him. And why? Because Danzo had made his move.

It was Danzo that had caused so much turmoil in Chiisai's life, and in Kakashi's. It was Danzo who had stalked them and had prompted Hitoshi to kidnap Chiisai, to cause so much suffering. It was Danzo who now used Kakashi's life against Chiisai, making her forfeit her freedom to serve him.

And it was Danzo who was soon going to face justice, to pay for all the crimes he had committed.

"What are you doing?" Tomo's voice broke through the darkness, but it didn't surprise him. He turned his head to see her bright eyes in the shadows.

His voice was hard as he replied, "Getting dressed."

She could sense his agenda, could see the determination set in his movements. "Kakashi…" Tomo paused and looked up at him. "We should make plans before we do anything. It won't be long before Danzo comes for us."

He snapped his vest into place and said, "So we need to make use of what little time we have." Kakashi opened the top drawer of his nightstand and began filling his pockets with weapons and scrolls. "What of our allies?"

Her yellow eyes squinted up at him, but she didn't comment. "There are several of Nekobaa's who have agreed to help."

"Can you track TonTon?"

"...Yes."

He nodded to himself and said, "Then Pakkun can track Chiisai."

"...What are you planning?"

He turned to face her. "Summon the ninnekos. All of you will need to remove your scent."

The Jonin picked up the silver medallion on his nightstand, along with Icha Icha. He placed the necklace over his head and hid it under his vest, hoping that his theory was correct. His fingers now gripped onto the book. He took a deep breath and opened the worn copy. The photo of he and Chiisai at the Snow Festival stared back at him. The memory of them laughing in the hotel appeared in his mind. His knuckles turned white against the book, wondering if things could ever go back to the way things were. Kakashi would save her- he had to- that he knew. But after everything was over...Would she ever smile like that again?

"Kakashi?"

The ninja slammed the book closed and slid it in his back pocket. The photograph was the only physical evidence of her existence, and he planned on keeping it safe. "How soon can they get here?"

She hopped up on the desk and replied, "A few minutes. You'll have to help me with the special summons." Her eyes narrowed as she added, "And you still haven't explained anything, human."

"Danzo has been biding his time with us, waiting until we make a move. He can't kill me as long as I'm his collateral. But I know far too much, and he'll need me out of the way."

She flicked her tail in disapproval. "I'm afraid where this is going…"

"He's going to eventually try to control Chiisai without using me."

The ninneko had to resist the urge to unsheath her claws. "Danzo...will kill you."

"I believe so," he nodded. Why else would Danzo leave them alone like this?

"Then what are you going to do?"

Kakashi pulled out a scroll and sank his teeth into the thumb. A bead of blood seeped through the wound as he replied, "Let's summon everyone first. You know how I hate repeating myself."

END


	26. Recruiting

Pakkun's claws dug into the dirt with each small stride in the shadows. He sniffed the air, careful to keep out of sight. He detected several of the ANBU nearby, but the ninken knew better. All of those years serving Kakashi had taught him much. The ninja dog could slip by unnoticed in the shadows, though he wasn't as graceful as Tomo.

The scent strengthened as he headed farther into the village. All signs pointed into a specific place, though Pakkun knew not to assume. But after several more blocks and slipping through rat-infested alleyways, the towering red building came into view. The scent of books had taken him into the center of Konohagakure. The ninken shook his head and sighed.

Chiisai was locked away within the walls of the village's most guarded building, the hokage's mansion.

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"You are a very stubborn woman, Karasu, Chiisai."

She didn't reply. Danzo sat beside her on the bed, where she had laid for the past four hours. Being a prisoner left her with few options to pass the time. Staring at Fu across the room wasn't much of a delight either. Being left with her own thoughts seemed to be Danzo's new idea of torture.

"You've completed every mission asked of you," he continued, "and the reports are quite extraordinary." Danzo shook his head and tsked, "Yet you still fight against me in so many ways."

She gritted her teeth, focusing her energy on suppressing the images inside her mind. He must love watching her writhe. Yet Danzo had put a stop to some of his tactics. The walls were painted a different color now, the torture sessions recently came to a halt. He had tried to break and rebuild her, but his efforts had proven in vain. She was too exhausted to feel relief or happiness; there was only anxiety and paranoia at his next scheme. It had been a struggle to keep her insanity, but maybe the insanity had kept her sane. The voice inside her head had been one of the very few things that kept her grounded. That, and her feelings for Kakashi. If she broke, Kakashi was good as dead.

"I'm not like the members of ROOT," she struggled to say. But as the words left her mouth, another thought arose. _Why shouldn't Kakashi be left to die? He's what started all of this, him finding those damned journals, discovering my abilities- it had all started with him. And what has my life been like since meeting him? Hell. Absolute hell. He promised to protect me, to keep me safe; but my life has been everything but that. Kakashi can't be trusted. Maybe he'd be better off-_

Chiisai's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head, as if to force the thoughts out of her mind. What was she thinking? Kakashi had saved her countless times. She loved him, she loved the way his calloused fingers warmed her skin, his hopeless sighs, the feeling of him pressed against her at night. He was her light that kept the darkness at bay. And without him, she was falling apart.

Danzo saw the tears staining Chiisai's cheeks but didn't comment. Instead, he said, "You're more alike with ROOT than you realize, child." He leaned closer to her, his breath warm against her skin. His gaze met the sadness in her eyes as he said, "I see the darkness inside you. It grows with each day." He paused and added, "What you lack is hardness of the heart."

She managed to whisper, "You use my heart against me."

Danzo didn't betray any emotion as he replied, "At the moment, it is of necessity." If he had known about her as a child, then his ROOT tactics would have worked effortlessly. However, the woman before his eye had remarkable strength to resist such techniques. But Chiisai, he now knew, would never be persuaded to join his ranks, and she wouldn't break under his torture, at least break and be of any use to him. The brainwashing had the best results, but there wasn't enough time. Fu could quicken the progress.

Danzo made a mental note before he stood and turned to the door. "I'll have someone bring you some mochi ice cream. Chocolate is your favorite, is it not?" He paused for a moment and finished with, "Or perhaps a glass of milk. As I recall, it helps you sleep."

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Sakura couldn't sleep.

She watched as the small glass bottles shimmered under the bright light. Thin liquids, ground bark, crumbled dried leaves and flowers; each poisonous ingredient available to Konoha sat before her green eyes. Yet each form of toxin had the potential for healing in some shape or form. If one broke the components down to the cellular level, they could be reconstructed to benefit the body.

Lady Tsunade said that a great healer had to be an expert on poisons, and the woman had drilled that into her star pupil during the third quarter of her training.

But the Fifth Hokage was now hidden away for her recovery. To Sakura, it didn't make sense that such a strong woman had given into her own despair. She had always liked her alcohol, but the limits were always set, her responsibilities as a leader prioritized over her feelings. What had Sakura missed during these past few weeks to not have seen it? Now her mentor and guide these past two years was gone, leaving Sakura to fend for herself, both in her studies and in the emergency room.

The pink-haired kunoichi squinted down at the scroll beside her, memorizing each ingredients' known side effects.

Her obsession with this had left her bewildered. It plagued her every moment of every day, and it had begun with the dreams. The constant images streamed in her sleeping mind, of ground up dried leaves, of Kabuto hovering over flasks filled with bubbling liquid, and the idea of a poison-infused jutsu, a technique that activated itself on the cellular level in the victim, killing them from the inside out.

It was a preposterous nightmare. Such innovations didn't exist, how could they? The science around such a jutsu was years from being discovered. Even Kabuto couldn't design such a concoction.

But the dreams continued to come every night, and Sakura couldn't stand it any longer.

So she awoke one morning, dressed, and headed to the lab. Every night since she had been researching. She crossed referenced her dreams to the various plants in Konoha's herb garden, but none matched the dark leaves that haunted her mind. But it's darker pigmentation seemed more suited for a ground plant under dense forest, or perhaps in higher elevations...like the mountains up north, close to the borders of the Land of Fire.

The kunoichi tensed. Was that a noise down the hall?

She silently stepped to the side and slipped towards the door. Chakra was already gathering in her fist. Why was she so anxious? She hadn't been doing anything wrong.

A figure flickered into view. Her arm reared back at the ready, but as her green eyes recognized him the chakra fizzed away. Of course, that didn't stop the momentum, and her fist collided with his chest, knocking him to the ground.

Sakura blinked in surprise as she said, "Kakashi-Sensei?" Half of his face was hidden in shadow but she recognized that wild silver hair anywhere. "I'm so sorry!" Immediately her hands glowed with healing chakra. Under normal circumstances, Kakashi would never falter with just a punch. Something was wrong.

He gave a weak smile as he replied, "I fear I may be in need of some assistance."

Sakura kneeled down beside him as he shifted to face her.

The overhead light shined bright on the rest of Kakashi's face. His headband no longer covered his eye. What battle had he been in, especially one so close to home? He must have overused his Sharingan.

The jonin's eye opened, and Sakura gasped as she peered into the spinning red and black iris of his Sharingan.

The hard lines of his furrowed brows replaced his once faint smile. Kakashi activated the eye jutsu as he said, "It's about time you woke up."

"What are you-"

Sakura gripped onto his vest though there was no pain. A fog seemed to lift from her mind, a haze only penetrable by the Sharingan. Memories long forgotten shifted into focus, of a small-bodied librarian with dark hair...Kakashi's girlfriend? But no, that wasn't-

Sakura's grip slacked as the memories quickened. De ja vu surrounded her like mist on a cool morning, and the flashbacks continued against her will. The librarian had been his girlfriend, and she had known things about Sakura, of her dreams and wishes, of her longing for Sasuke. Sakura had called her psychic, and said her secret was safe with her. The woman was always injured...And she made Kakashi happy.

As the memories slowed to halt, Kakashi came back into view. But her mind was fuzzy with the new information. "Sensei…" She frowned at her old teacher. "What…"

Kakashi watched her as he asked, "Do you remember?"

She nodded. The images were starting to make sense, and her brain was finally putting two and two together. "Your girl-"

He brought a finger to his masked lips, and her voice died at the silent demand. "That's good enough. I need your help."

Her eyes flickered to the poisons on the table. The dreams came to mind again, and now the memories of Chiisai were intact...The woman had known her dreams. She hadn't been psychic at all. The dreams of the jutsu...it had been a message from Chiisai.

Sakura stood as she replied, "...I think I already am." And if the message about the poison-jutsu was true, what she really needed was Lady Tsunade's insight.

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It was easy finding her way to Lady's Tsunade's, since she had been there several times. A few other ninnekos accompanied her to track the number of guards and their movements in and around the facility. The other ninnekos were stationed around Kakashi's apartment, and the most skilled had the job of using a transformation technique to appear as Kakashi, though it wouldn't last long.

Tomo, on the other hand, had one simple task: exchanging information with Tonton, Lady Tsunade's ninja pig. The recovery facility, isolated in the forest, was heavily guarded and didn't allow visitors. However, no one really bothered watching over a pig taking a bathroom break. And once Tonton smelled Tomo's scent, she would soon be heading out the door.

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_You really should be thanking me. After all, I'm helping you in more ways than one. _

Chiisai ignored him.

"You seem distracted from the mission," Fu said.

_You do seem distracted, don't you? Are you worried about a certain someone? He's getting himself into quite a pickle, you know. At least I've tried to help in some way...Unlike some people. And by some people, I mean you. I've half the thought that you actually want to kill him. After all, you did it to your father, why not him as well?_

Her fingers curled into fists. "Shuttup!" she yelled.

The voice quieted. A cool breeze lifted the strands of her hair, and it felt as if a ghost had passed through her. Anger rose inside her suddenly, rage and sorrow and hatred boiled and spilled out of herself. She didn't know what to think or what to feel, but everything that she had bottled up the past few days was finally released. Darkness seeped out of her skin like smoke. It twisted around her, glowing hot-red with her own fury. Fu instantly reached for her, but Chiisai was faster in the Dream World. She grabbed him by the wrist, and his skin sizzled with the energy radiating from her, forcing him to remain still.

"Stand down," Fu commanded.

Chiisai's eyes glowed as she replied, "Did your master ever consider the consequences of the darkness inside me? Did you ever think about the abominations my mind would create in this world? I may be weak out there, but I assure you, that is not the case in this dimension." Her voice boomed and shook the dream tree, her chakra crackling like thunder during a storm. The glass orbs began to fall and shatter on the ground one by one.

"You will obey, or Kakashi will suffer the consequences." His voice was hard, his determination set in the crease of his brows.

Chiisai's laughter filled the chamber as her grip tightened on his wrist. "You'll need to wake up in order to do that." The darkness continued to grow around her, and the clouds of smoke took form around them. She wasn't thinking about Kakashi at all. "Unfortunately for you, I have the upper hand."

Chains appeared on Fu's wrists and ankles. The weight of them forced him to his knees. He gave a wince as his chakra gathered around the metal, leaving him just enough to stay alive. "It's an invention my father cooked up for myself not too long ago," Chiisai said. "Of course, you've seen my memories, so you already know that." She pushed herself up off the ground. The nightmare creatures surrounding her followed as she hovered next to the dream tree.

"You know what I find most interesting about our present Hokage? I can never find him in the Dream World." Chiisai's hand pressed against the bark of the tree. Cracks appeared on it, the tree splintering under the weight of her will. Her nightmare creatures attacked it, devouring the tree like a fire on a dry plain. There was nothing left.

Chiisai turned to Fu and snapped her fingers. The ROOT member released a strangled cry as she poured chakra into his body. His screams reverberated off the walls as the chains sucked the chakra dry, leaving his skin scorched and raw. It was the exact same way her father had treated her, and she couldn't help but relish in satisfaction at his crumpled body.

Chiisai bent down in front of him as his chest heaved with exhaustion. "You won't remember this once you wake up. That's been my gift to you," she said. "But tonight, you're going to help me find your master." Her hands glowed as she added, "Right after I finally rip that cursed seal from your tongue."

END

_Hey, I finally did a thing! _

_Please comment on your thoughts concerning this chapter, especially if there's any confusion. If there is, I'll try to address it in the next chapter, whether within the story or down here in my rambles. Also, I do have a cutesy/random side fanfic of KakashiXChiisai called Daydreams that I'm regularly posting as I work on this one. Because this one is going to last forever apparently._


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